Image from Lee Davy https://www.flickr.com/photos/chingster23/11869684055

David Cameron has begun to process of convincing Labour Party MPs to back him in his proposals to use airstrikes against Syria. With several Labour MPs not quite content with party leader Jeremy Corbyn’s pacifist views it may be set to pass.

Cameron argues that Britain is already facing the threat of mass casualties from attacks by Isis and that the country can no longer let other states be responsible for its security. His answer? Cripple them with airstrikes.

This ignores one of the main reasons that Britain is facing terrorist threats in the first place. Airstrikes kill innocent people that then raise their arms against those who attacked them and their families in the first place. This only makes recruitment much easier for organisations such as Isis, when the only interaction they have with Western states is being bombed without warning. The Paris attacks were done by individuals who held European citizenship. Radicalisation will continue at home when disillusioned youths see their home country attacked by the states that they are living in. Bombing Syria will not make anyone safer, and the threat of attacks will not diminish.

While Isis may have targets that can be identified and attacked, in the end they will retreat into the cities and blend in along with the rest of the population, making it impossible to distinguish between innocent bystanders and terrorist organisations. For 14 years we have faced the same threat of terrorism only to use the same solution to get rid of it — airstrikes — and for 14 years it has not worked. There is no reason why it would work now.

Different approaches that work need to be tried out rather than pander to public fears of terrorist attacks.

Firstly, the supply of arms and finance needs to be cut off from terrorist organisations. Otherwise they will continue to rise up even if one is defeated. This will mean ensuring that states that provide finance and arms and purchase oil (Isis main source of revenue) need to be sanctioned. This will only work if states work together, and must be done against states that are even looked upon as allies. In either case, if they support it are they truly allies? And if we do not sanction them do we really want to defeat terrorism?

Secondly, we have countless of times identified why individuals join terrorist organisations. Often it is, grief, seeking justice, coercion, poverty and unemployment, and radicalisation and brainwashing of youths. This is not limited to the Middle East, but is something that is seen in all countries, from Uganda to Northern Ireland and Colombia and Indonesia. These are not new ideas but have been studied my multiple distinguished authors and researchers. Any attempts at dealing with the root causes of conflict are quickly tossed aside by continually engaging in conflict and allowing these conditions to continue to exist.

Lastly, any peace needs to be supported by the local population and additionally supported by intervening states to ensure legitimacy. Rebuilding of infrastructure and employment programs need to initiated immediately to stop us falling into the same trap over and over again.