Jeremy Corbyn to signal he would withdraw troops from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan if he becomes Prime Minister – The Sun

The hard left Labour leader will declare the ongoing fight against terror has failed

JEREMY Corbyn will today signal he will withdraw British troops from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan if he becomes PM.

In explosive remarks, the hard left Labour leader will declare the ongoing fight against terror has failed.

SWNS:South West News Service

And persisting with operations against ISIS, al Qaeda and the Taliban is a recipe for increasing not reducing threats, he will argue.

Mr Corbyns intervention comes as he delivers his first major foreign and defence policy speech in almost two years as Labour leader.

His anti-war stand is sure to reignite his own partys civil war over the long running operations.

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It is also high risk with voters to criticise troops deployments while they are still at risk.

But despite his anti-war stand, Mr Corbyn he will also try to sure up his weak security credentials by insisting: I am not a pacifist.

The 67-year-old will lay out his security vision to the prestigious Chatham House think tank this morning.

The Labour boss will say: This is the fourth general election in a row to be held while Britain is at war and our armed forces are in action in the Middle East and beyond.

The bomb first, talk later approach to security has failed.

To persist with it, as the Conservative Government has made clear it is determined to do, is a recipe for increasing not reducing threats and insecurity.

EPA

Senior Labour sources last night told The Sun that Mr Corbyn has never hidden his opposition to the RAFs bombing mission in Syria.

The party boss voted against it in December 2015, while 66 Labour MPs defied him to vote with then-PM David Cameron to authorise the new intervention.

But figures close to Mr Corbyn said pulling the close to 1,000 British troops on training missions out of Iraq and Afghanistan would more gradual.

Instead, the Labour boss sees their withdrawal as part of a negotiated settlement with ISIS and the Taliban.

On his own personal views about war, Mr Corbyn will tell the Chatham House audience that he is not completely opposed to ever conducting it as the nations leader.

He will argue: I accept that military action, under international law and as a genuine last resort, is in some circumstances necessary.

If elected Prime Minister, I will do everything necessary to protect the safety and security of our people and our country.

But he will also say: The best defence for Britain is a government actively engaged in seeking peaceful solutions to the worlds problems.

Mr Corbyns refusal to accept he is a pacifist comes despite him infamously declaring he could never envisage a situation where he would ever send British troops to war during the Labour leadership contest in 2015.

EPA

The Defence Secretary said yesterday that Mr Corbyn is essentially a pacifist and would be very dangerous as leader of our country.

Senior Tory Sir Michael Fallon added: If you have armed forces, youve got to be prepared to use them.

The Labour boss will also attack Theresa May for cosying up to the new US president by declaring under him, there will be no more hand-holding with Donald Trump.

And he will vow to distance Britain from the traditional special relationship with the US, saying: Waiting to see which way the wind blows in Washington isnt strong leadership.

A Labour government will conduct a robust and independent foreign policy made in London.

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Jeremy Corbyn to signal he would withdraw troops from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan if he becomes Prime Minister - The Sun

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