Why we shouldn't send arms to Syria

The conflict in Syria is a very different one from that of the First World War, the centenary of which is now just a few months away.

But the poet Edward Thomas, writing 98 years ago in the context of that slaughter, had some prescient words which we do well to remember as we think about the situation in Syria today.

In one of his most famous compositions, he begins with the simple assertion: "This is no case of petty right or wrong, That politicians or philosophers can judge."

The poem came to mind as the BBC reported that David Cameron had "told MPs that the government will reserve the right to arm rebels in Syria without holding a vote in the House of Commons".

And it did so because the conflict in Syria is not a matter of black and white, of tyranny against liberty, of "good guys against bad guys". It is messy, complex, and multi-layered. And sending arms to any of the groups involved could well be as wise as throwing a match into a box of fireworks, hoping that only one particular rocket will ignite – and that once lit, it will travel in a specific, pre-determined direction. Read more