Syria: Chemical Weapons

Lord West of Spithead Excerpts

Wednesday 5th April 2017 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Anelay of St Johns]

The noble Lord is absolutely right.

[Lord West of Spithead (Lab)]

My Lords, there was no military benefit to the Assad regime from using chemical weapons in this circumstance—it did not help militarily—and there is no political benefit. Is there some internal dynamic that we do not understand within Syria? I cannot see any reason otherwise why these weapons would be used.

[Baroness Anelay of St Johns]

My Lords, who indeed can get into the mind of somebody who—it has been proven in the past—on at least three occasions used chemical weapons on his own people? We should all remember that the conflict started because there were those who wanted to see democracy in Syria.