PM is haunted by Blair’s wars

AS tomorrow’s recall of Parliament increases the likelihood of UK involvement in Syria following President Bashar Assad’s use of chemical weapons against his own people, David Cameron needs to heed the lessons of history and previous short-term fixes before committing British forces.

Like President Barack Obama, Mr Cameron will be hoping that a military offensive, however brief, can end a haunting humanitarian crisis, but there are absolutely no guarantees. The liberation of Kuwait in 1990 still required the invasion of Iraq and overthrow of Saddam Hussein 13 years later while military strikes against the Taliban following the 9/11 bombings led to a decade-long conflict in Afghanistan.

Yet, while Western leaders will take heart from Tony Blair’s role in helping to end the Kosovo conflict, the longer-term peace is always far harder to win than the short-term hopes of politicians.

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The decision to recall Parliament tomorrow is the correct one – Mr Blair continues to be haunted by claims that he misled MPs before the Iraq invasion, while Margaret Thatcher over-ruled the Foreign Office’s hesitancy prior to the recapturing of the Falklands in 1982 only by securing the full backing of her Cabinet, including those sceptics and “wets” who favoured a negotiated settlement with Argentina.

That said, there is no prospect of President Assad accepting the will of the United Nations – its own weapons inspectors have come under attack – because he hopes that US-led action will destabilise the wider Middle East.

It is why Mr Cameron needs to proceed with caution. As well as seeking political backing, even if this negates the element of surprise in the timing of any action against the Assad regime, Britain and her allies need to abide by international law and ensure that any intervention has one clear objective: the end of Syria’s use of chemical weapons. Even this will not be easy. Only months ago, Mr Cameron advocated the arming of Syria’s rebels – a move which would probably have increased the loss of life – as the West obfuscated.

Will the planned military assault on Syria have a more peaceful end game? Only David Cameron can answer this as he faces up to the consequences, and legacy, of Tony Blair’s many wars.

Professor’s university challenge

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MICHAEL Arthur should derive considerable personal satisfaction from his nine-year spell overhauling the reputation and management of the University of Leeds in the face of what has at times been considerable criticism.

The results speak for themselves. Despite Professor Arthur’s tenureship as vice chancellor coinciding with the introduction of the still divisive issue of student tuition fees and the implementation of the coalition’s spending squeeze, it has climbed the national rankings for the quality of its research.

This is important. Universities should not just be about churning out students so that the overwhelming majority graduate with the standard 2:1 degree, but facilitating world-class research that inspires students and also benefits Britain in the longer-term. Leeds University, it should be noted, is one of the city’s largest employers.

As a past chairman of the influential Russell Group, Prof Arthur’s astuteness

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in ensuring Leeds’ world class research helps strengthen the quality of its teaching has provided Leeds with a solid foundation for the future.

It is an approach that needs to be replicated across all aspects of society; there needs to be a far greater onus on publicly-subsidised bodies to do more for less and higher education should not be excluded from this process. In this era of tuition fees, universities must now strive to meet the increased expectations of those students who want a tangible return on their “investment”.

One final point should be made. Prof Arthur has not been afraid to take the debate on fees – and university costs – to his critics on the left. This is refreshing, and many of his contemporaries would be advised to do likewise; it makes for a far healthier and a far more balanced debate.

On the trail of the Golden Bear

THE special homecoming afforded to teenager Matt Fitzpatrick at Hallamshire Golf Club should be put in the context of his phenomenal run of success that coincided with his A-levels as the student prepares to make his debut in the Walker Cup – amateur golf’s equivalent of the bi-ennial Ryder Cup.

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The first Englishman to win the US Amateur Championship in 102 years, the 18-year-old is following a course which saw Jack Nicklaus, the gentleman of golf, become the greatest ever player. Though his record tally of 18 majors continues to elude Tiger Woods, the ‘Golden Bear’ points out that his total should, in fact, stand at 20 because America’s amateur championship is so competitive.

With Matt Fitzpatrick showing Sheffield steel on the fairways with his fearless iron play, there is every prospect of the world’s top amateur golfer being as great a role model for his home city of Sheffield as Olympic heptathlete Jessica Ennis-Hill and Ashes-winning cricketer Joe Root. He is that good and his boyish enthusiasm should be cherished.