Recent British efforts to draw up effective plans to tackle the Islamist-inspired chaos affecting much of the Arab world have been stymied by the 2013 Commons vote to block military action against the Assad regime in Syria. Moreover, during the summer the Government’s room for manoeuvre when it comes to making a convincing argument for some form of military intervention has been further undermined by demands that no action should be taken before the findings of the long-awaited Chilcot inquiry into the Iraq war have been made public.