However, the crash of a Russian passenger jet in Egypt, which Britain believes was probably the result of a bomb, has once again thrust the issue centre stage. President Obama has refused to send American soldiers to fight Assad, though the he has called for Asad’s ouster, but at the end of last month the administration intensified its mission by sending up to 50 US special operations troops to “train, advise and assist” various “local opposition” forces in northern Syria to fight the Islamic State. Qatar is flying patrols over Syria, but its role has been modest.
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The aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt and its air wing, responsible for about 10 percent of the daily strikes in Iraq and Syria, left the gulf in early October.
He said both government forces and insurgents were increasing their ground movements, which could create more opportunities for the United States and its allies to carry out more air strikes against Islamic State targets. Coalition nations conducting strikes in Syria include the United States, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, France, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.
“Jordan’s commitment to this fight is unwavering”, said Ms Dana Zureikat Daoud, a spokesman for the Jordanian Embassy in Washington.
General Sir Nicholas Houghton, the chief of the defence staff, said it “makes no sense” that RAF airstrikes in neighbouring Iraq had to stop at the border when IS, also known as Isil, based its stronghold in Syria. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted nine strikes using bomber, fighter, and attack aircraft.
“To an extent, yes, we are letting our allies down by not being a full player”, Gen Houghton told Sky News.
Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond says the government still plans to resubmit the question once it is sure it has enough cross-party support for it to be passed in parliament.
United States officials have told The Associated Press that Russian Federation has directed parts of its military campaign against US-backed militants and other extremist groups in an effort to weaken them.
Such action would be a “distraction” and would cause “legal ambiguity, political chaos on the ground in Syria, military irrelevance, and diplomatic costs”, the MPs said.
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“When we think it is the right thing to do and we are confident we have a consensus in the House of Commons to get a majority we will go back to Parliament”, he said.
