Huddersfield Labour MP Barry Sheerman was one of 43 MPs who voted against British air strikes on Islamic extremists in Iraq.
While the House of Commons voted massively in favour – 524 to 43 – the veteran MP said he had two concerns.
“Firstly, it is easy to get into these situations but then very difficult to get out, as we have seen in the past,” he said.
“Secondly, and of more concern, is the fact that even with today’s technology things go wrong.
“They are talking of using drones and ground missiles but what happens when they hit a school full of children or a building full of innocent people?
“Frank Dobson talked about the horrors perpetrated by Islamic State but here is no guarantee allied efforts would not harm innocent people.”
MPs from all parties – including Colne Valley Tory MP Jason McCartney and Dewsbury Tory Simon Reevell – backed Prime Minister David Cameron’s call for intervention.
RAF warplanes could now launch air strikes over the weekend after Mr Cameron said the action was “morally justified” to combat a “brutal terrorist organisation.”
Mr McCartney interjected in the debate while Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg was on his feet to point out that military intervention had been successful when a no-fly zone was imposed to protect Kurds in Northern Iraq.
Mr McCartney described Islamic State as “a murderous, evil cult” and said: “I cannot stand by. This is not a war, the prime minister of Iraq has asked for our help.
“This is not boots on the ground but I understand those worries. Islamic State is an evil cult that cannot be negotiated with and must be defeated.”
At the end of a six-and-half hour Commons debate, MPs endorsed action to clear the way for RAF Tornado GR4 fighter bombers stationed in Cyprus to begin combat operations as soon as suitable targets are identified.
Opening the debate, Mr Cameron told MPs – meeting in emergency session – that Britain had a “duty” to join the military campaign as IS posed a direct threat to the country.
But despite the overwhelming majority in favour of military action, there were concerns on all sides of the House that – 11 years after the invasion of Iraq – Britain was again embarking on military action in the Middle East.
At the same time, there was criticism from both Conservative and Labour MPs that UK air strikes were being restricted to Iraq and that IS targets in Syria, the movement’s birthplace, were excluded.
Mr Cameron said the motion had been limited to Iraq in order to secure cross-party consensus and avoid a repeat of last year’s damaging Commons defeat when Labour combined with Tory and Liberal Democrat rebels to block air strikes against the Syrian regime of President Bashar Assad.
However, Defence Secretary Michael Fallon later indicated that the Government may well eventually have to come back to the House again to seek support for extending air strikes into Syria.
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