Main content

What Syria Means for Britain

John Kampfner reflects on the consequences of Britain's decision not to intervene in Syria, with contributions from Tony Blair, Liam Fox, Jack Straw, Shirley Williams and others.

A Radio 4 special following the rejection by MPs of a military strike against Syria. John Kampfner considers what the decision, taken in the shadow of the war in Iraq, says about Britain and its place in the world.

He talks to Tony Blair who argues that the Syria vote had less to do with faulty intelligence before the war in Iraq than with its bloody and expensive aftermath.

Former Conservative Defence Secretary Liam Fox suggests the vote by MPs is reminiscent of the dark days of Munich while the American former diplomat Richard Haass compares it to the disastrous foreign policy Britain pursued over Suez.

Is Britain a diminished power? Or a more mature, less hubristic one?

Producer: Mark Savage.

Available now

28 minutes

Last on

Mon 9 Sep 2013 20:00
大象传媒 Radio 4

  • The Alawis

    Owen Bennett Jones looks at Syria's Alawis, the sect to which President Assad belongs.

  • The Death Toll in Syria

    More or Less looks at the different claims made about how many people have been killed.

  • The Bombardment of Homs

    Paul Wood's award-winning report from Homs, as the bombardment of the city got underway.

Clip

Broadcast

  • Mon 9 Sep 2013 20:00
    大象传媒 Radio 4

Featured in...

  • Syria

    A collection of Radio 4 programmes on Syria - the conflict and its repercussions.