Portside

'It is disturbing - to say the least - how [Prime
Minister David] Cameron has led Britain into Mali's
conflict without even a pretence at consultation.
Troops will not be sent, we are told; but the term
"mission creep" exists for a reason, and an
escalation could surely trigger deeper British
involvement. The West has a terrible record of
aligning itself with the most dubious of allies: the
side we have picked are far from human-rights-
loving democrats... It is the responsibility of all of us
to scrutinise what our governments do in our name;
if we cannot learn that from Iraq, Afghanistan and
Libya, then it is hopeless.'