Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Syria's gruesome civil war threatens to spill into a wider Middle Eastern conflict. Israel's aerial attacks on Syrian military installations near Damascus, killing more than 100 people, certainly have not helped. The bombing raids, which were unprovoked and illegal, were immediately supported by the US and British Governments. However, given the fact that Israel has illegally occupied Syria's Golan Heights for 46 years, the legitimacy of a few more air raids probably hardly matters. Nevertheless, I wonder what would be the reaction of the West had Syria or Iran launched such an attack on Israel or one of the Arab regimes arming the Syrian rebels. International legality, equity or rights of self-defence have little to do with it.

President Assad's regime is battered, discredited and unacceptable, but is unlikely to be dislodged by force any time soon. Intensified military action has no real prospect of breaking this destructive and horrific stalemate.

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