Monmouth MP David Davies said he supports the government’s decision to launch a one-off limited air strike against chemical weapons facilities in Syria over the weekend.
Sites near Damascus and Homs were hit on Saturday (14 April) by the United States, France and UK in response to an alleged chemical attack on Douma on 7 April.
Mr Davies was one of a small number of Conservative MPs who voted against missile strikes on the Assad regime in 2013 and says he remains opposed to any wider intervention in the conflict.
“The use of chemical weapons crosses a red line,” he said.
“After 2013, when I was one of the MPs who opposed military involvement in Syria, it was made clear that further uses of chemical weapons could result in military action.
“We have not only seen chemical weapons being used in Syria but we have seen them being used on the streets of Britain by President Bashar al-Assad’s main backer Russia.
“If we did nothing then we could expect to see the end of the prohibition on the use of chemical weapons and we run the risk of them becoming used much more widely.”
Mr Davies warned the violence will continue until one side wins.
He added: “The Kurds could only ever hold the areas where they are in a majority but are currently being drawn into fighting with Turkey.
“The Islamists probably could not now win and it would be dangerous for the rest of the world if they did. Therefore, the war will continue until Assad regains control.
“The terrible conundrum is that any attack on the Assad government helps his enemies who are linked to Islamic extremism and prolongs the violence.
“While it was justifiable to send a message that the use of chemical weapons will result in a military response, I would be opposed to any wider military involvement.”
