Democracy in the UK

It may seem strange to anyone who is a long term resident here, but we have had an outbreak of democracy.

The executive decided that we should go to war.

They consulted parliament.

Parliament said no.

War is cancelled.

In terms of geopolitics, this is probably something of a non event. It will not have much impact on any US decision to attack Syria or not. And the UK contribution is small enough to be negligible.

For years we British thought that our army was the best in the world. Then we were humiliated in Basra and Helmand. That has taught the sane amongst us that we are not so special.

We have to adjust to the newly perceived reality. Even if our leaders can't perceive it.

It seems our parliament can.

For the first time since Vietnam, the UK will not join the US in a military adventure.

For the first time since Suez the parliamentary opposition has opposed the government on military action.

For the first time since 1782 the government has los such a vote. To put that in context, the Americans had yet to win their revolutionary war back then.

This may not be a great geopolitical event, but in UK terms it is seismic. We are no longer first in the queue for military action or for backing the Americans.

We might even develop an independent foreign policy.