International FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2015 14 Obama welcomes British vote to join Syria air campaign WASHINGTON: US President Barack whelming majority to expand British par- most valued partners in fighting ISIL,” “While this still requires German parlia- Obama hailed a vote Wednesday by ticipation in a counter-Islamic State air war Obama said in a statement. mentary approval, this is a clear sign of British lawmakers to join the air campaign in Iraq to neighboring Syria, offering “We look forward to having British Germany’s continued commitment to the against the Islamic State group in Syria. In Prime Minister David Cameron a much forces flying with the coalition over Syria counter-ISIL campaign and to working a statement that also praised a German needed foreign policy victory. and will work to integrate them into our with a broad range of partners to defeat government decision to provide 1,200 Cameron had been humiliated in 2013 Coalition Air Tasking Orders as quickly as this shared threat,” Obama said. military personnel to support the fight when parliament voted against strikes possible.” Obama also praised a German “ISIL is a global threat that must be against the radical group, Obama praised against the Syrian regime of Bashar al- cabinet move to bolster Berlin’s role in the defeated by a global response. The United a “special relationship” with Britain “root- Assad, a vote that left Obama isolated in crisis. Ministers approved a package of States welcomes any partner’s genuine ed in our shared values and mutual com- pressing for air strikes in response to measures, which still requires legislative counter-ISIL efforts in Syria and Iraq, and I mitment to global peace, prosperity, and chemical weapons use. “Since the begin- approval, that would supply Tornado applaud the steps taken by the UK and security.” ning of the counter-ISIL campaign the reconnaissance jets, a naval frigate and up Germany that demonstrate our unity and Parliamentarians voted by an over- United Kingdom has been one of our to 1,200 troops. resolve.” — AFP Sweden struggles to house refugees as harsh Nordic winter looms MALMO: Plastic bags containing clothes and a few belongings are placed along the walls of a chilly, dimly-lit church in Malmo, Sweden, where 20 refugees from Syria and Afghanistan join around 30 Roma beggars seeking shelter for the night. Donated sleeping mats and blankets make do for beds as they huddle up close to the radiators or on church benches. This is the reality for some of those who come to seek a new life in Sweden - a self-styled ‘humanitarian superpower’ - as the record number of asylum seekers overwhelms the country’s capacity to cope. “Sweden is cold and this is not what I expected but I’m glad to be here anyway,” said Tarek, a Syrian in his late twenties who spent nearly $3,000 on a three-week trek to Sweden. His wife and two children remain in Syria for now. Sweden has taken in about 145,000 asylum seekers so far this year, more than any other European country proportionate to its population. They have been drawn by its generous asylum rules, its wealth and stability and reputation for social justice. Refugees have mostly been met by kindness, but Sweden has also seen a wave of arson attacks on asylum centres. A sword- wielding man killed two people in a racist killing spree in October at a largely immigrant school in south-west Sweden. LONDON: Pilots walk in front of a Tornado GR4 aircraft at the British Royal Air Force airbase RAF Marham in Norfolk in Meanwhile, the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats have east England on Wednesday. — AFP surged in the polls to around 20 percent while the mainstream par- ties have moved to clamp down on immigration. After initially throwing open its doors to asylum seekers, the Syria debate creates new star, centre-left government has introduced border controls and plans for temporary residency permits to stem the flow and force other European countries to share the burden. From saying “my Europe but problems for UK’s Labor doesn’t build walls” in September, Prime Minister Stefan Lofven has made a U-turn. “We have taken in too many for too long. We need Opposition’s deep divisions under spotlight a pause for breath,” he said in late November. SLEEPING ROUGH LONDON: An electrifying speech on Syria air ist Dan Hodges wrote in the Daily Telegraph. wasn’t surprised but it’s great the country has So far Sweden has managed to house the vast majority of immi- strikes by the foreign affairs spokesman of “It was a truly incredible moment. Hilary Benn seen what a potentially great leader he would grants and conditions are better than those many have left behind. Britain’s Labor party brought together rival did not look like the shadow foreign secretary. make.” But authorities have been forced into drastic measures such as MPs in an emotional display but shone a spot- He did not look like the leader of the opposi- However, any move to depose Corbyn will using tents and churches to house asylum seekers. light on the opposition’s deep divisions. The tion. He looked like the prime minister.” be vehemently opposed by the party mem- Nevertheless, some young refugees have been forced to sleep House of Commons fell silent as Hilary Benn But Benn’s new-found authority poses a bers, 66 percent of whom believe he is doing rough in harsh wintry conditions. Eva Blomdell, a deacon at the implored MPs to approve the government’s clear threat to Corbyn’s embattled leadership, “well” in his role, according to a recent poll. Sankt Johannes church in Malmo that now stays open through the plan for air strikes on Islamic State jihadists in an ironic twist given that Benn’s father Tony The issue of war and terrorism has laid bare night to provide shelter for the refugees, gives them coffee and Syria, to which his party leader Jeremy Corbyn was both a political hero and close friend of the divisions, with Corbyn being forced to hands out translated cards with information about toilets and is opposed. the Labor chief. allow his MPs a free vote on air strikes as all- showers. “It’s not at all what they pictured. For them Sweden has “We are here faced by fascists,” he told Wednesday’s speech had striking similari- out conflict threatened to break out in the been the promised land and now they get this,” she said, pointing lawmakers. “They hold our values in con- ties to one given in parliament by his socialist party. Corbyn supporters have accused Benn to the stone church floor. The Save the Children charity warned this tempt, they hold our belief in tolerance and father the year after the Gulf War in 1991 — of “undermining” the leader and positioning week of squalid conditions in a large convention centre in Malmo, decency in contempt, they hold our democra- except that Benn senior was mounting an himself as a potential replacement during the where up to 1,000 asylum seekers are staying while their applica- cy in contempt. impassioned plea against war. build-up to Wednesday’s vote. British book- tions are registered. It said sick children were sleeping directly on “What we know about fascists is that they makers slashed the odds on Benn being the the floors and lacked sufficient medical care or even showers. need to be defeated,” he said. As the 62-year- ‘A potentially great leader’ next Labor leader to 3/1 from 25/1 just two “The accommodation question is critical,” said Mikael old returned to his seat next to a grim-faced Corbyn’s victory in September’s leadership weeks ago. Ribbenvik, deputy director at the Migration Agency. “We try all Corbyn, both sides of the House of Commons race, thanks to support from grassroot The issue also sparked bitter debate on kinds of ways to resolve the situation and yet we had to turn peo- broke out into a rare round of applause with activists, sparked a battle for control within social media, with both sides accusing the ple down last weekend.” This week a winter storm damaged half of members shouting “more” and some even Labour between his leftist allies and party other of personal abuse. A stark example of the 16 tents the agency had set up in a first, provisional tent camp reduced to tears, according to Labor MP moderates, who now have a figure to unite the disunity came as MPs prepared to vote, in southern Sweden, underscoring the challenges posed by the Angela Smith. Conservative Foreign Secretary around. when protesters from Stop the War, a group Nordic winter. Philip Hammond called it “one of the truly “Hilary Benn offers hope to the party,” for- previously chaired by Corbyn, chanted “Hilary The camps have also been delayed by red tape - rigid planning great speeches” in parliamentary history, a mer policy strategist for ex-prime minister Benn, shame on you!” outside parliament. and fire safety rules mean that most planned tents will only be view echoed by commentators and politicians Tony Blair and moderate John McTernan told Corbyn’s authority will be tested again lat- ready in six months. The weekly number of refugees arriving in of all stripes. AFP. The speech puts Benn “in pole position er when voters in Oldham, northwest Sweden has dropped somewhat since it introduced the first large- “It is about to become the House of to be a future leader” of the party, added England, elect a new MP after the death of scale border controls in more than two decades last month.