Britain, US unite to launch airstrikes against ISIS

Members of the UK parliament have sided with the USd campaign of launching airstrikes against Islamic State in Syria.

After 10-hours of continuous debate in the House of Commons on Wednesday, the British MPs voted in favour of America’s pledge to destroy the Daesh group planning of attacks on Western countries. Majority of 174 MPs backed the stand with 397 votes in favour, while 223 votes against the notion.

Prime Minister David Cameron said at the beginning of the debate the ISIS threat was a real one. “The question is this: Do we work with our allies to degrade and destroy this threat and do we go after these terrorists in their heartlands from where they are plotting to kill British people, or do we sit back and wait for them?” he said in his statement.

U.S. President Barack Obama welcomed the UK’s decision. “Since the beginning of the counter-ISIL campaign the United Kingdom has been one of our most valued partners in fighting ISIL,” Obama said in a statement. “We look forward to having British forces flying with the coalition over Syria and will work to integrate them into our Coalition Air Tasking Orders as quickly as possible,” the president added.

The prime minister claimed that the decision the parliament took was the right one so far as safety of the country was concerned, but the opposition refuted the decision at the same time, declaring it a mistake. According to BBC’s Jonathan Beale, the ministers said that the bombing will soon begin as two jets have already departed Cyprus for an unknown destination. Six more jets were reportedly on standby at the RAF Akrotiri air base.

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said that the decision of the British MPs have made the nation even safer. The airstrikes might not hamper the plans of the ISIS militants, but the unity will definitely affect them.

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