Was the decision correct to intervene militarily in Syria following the alleged chemical incident in Douma?
On Thursday of last week, the Academic Society convened to discuss the complex issue of the recent military action taken in Syria following the alleged chemical attacks in Douma (Syria) at the beginning of April.
This issue has drawn a significant amount of press attention considering the moral, legal and political implications of the decisions taken, and in this was the boys’ opportunity to air their views ahead of the Senior School vote carried out last Friday as to whether the action was justified. There is no doubt that this was a multi-faceted and challenging issue to discuss, but it was encouraging to see boys of all ages, from Years 8 to 13, taking a moment out of their regular school routine to consider the different arguments and perspectives.
As was to be expected, the contributions were many and varied, but throughout there was genuine understanding and empathy for the issues and their complexity. In an increasingly connected and complex world, it is important that our boys are equipped to involve themselves actively and with an informed perspective on these big issues that we face as a global community.
The result of the vote on Friday was inconclusive, but such debates are crucial. Well done to all of the boys who debated and voted.