In an interesting article in the Yorkshire Post, the politician, historian and adventurer, Rory Stewart reflects on the Iraq war; mistakes made and what can be learned looking forward to Syria.

Opening his discussion saying “The starting point for any discussion of Iraq has to be an acknowledgment that it was a failure and a scandal,” Rory aims to consider what Parliament, the Foreign Office and the Military are, how Britain “could get something so wrong”, and significantly, what lessons can be taken.

Rory suggests that problems with Iraq were a result of the wrong relationship with the local politicians, diplomats and civilians, and a lack of in-depth understanding of the country.  In the light of current debates surrounding Syria, and acknowledging that ministers and politicians cannot be deep experts on these issues, he argues: “We therefore need to create a system that we can rely on in the Foreign Office, the military and the intelligence services.”

Click here to read the article in full