In 2012, the US Government authorised a ‘rat line’ through which arms from Libya would be covertly channelled into Syria. Many of the recipients of these arms were jihadists, many of whom affiliated to al-Qaeda (Seymour M. Hersh, London Review of Books, 17th April, 2014).

Funding for this came from Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar. Overall operations was in the control of former CIA director, David Petraeus.

Britain’s MI6 played a role as well. Their involvement meant that technically the mission could be classified as a liaison operation and therefore didn’t need to be reported to the US Congress.

How ironic now that these same countries are part of the coalition to fight the Islamic State – the monster they helped create.

And how deceitful are their methods in conspiring to usurp the powers of their own democratic institutions – principles they claim they want to bequeath to the rest of the world.

And how limp our own Parliament [UK} is in not seeing the hypocrisy – whether through ignorance, voluntary amnesia, or deference to power.