Government officials are today preparing options for a non-military response to the conflict in Syria following a humiliating defeat for David Cameron in a parliamentary vote on Britain’s involvement in any US-led strikes.
The Conservative-Liberal coalition were defeated by a narrow margin in the common vote which was triggered by alleged use of chemical weapons by Bashar al-Assad’s Syrian regime.
Whitehall sources suggest that the UK may now try to expand its range of ‘non-lethal’ responses which could include:
- Giving Assad a ‘Chinese burn’
- Parachuting a troop of boss-eyed cats into Damascus
- Eating more hummus
- Training opposition fighters to deliver devastating wedgies.
Ministry of Defence spokesman Pat Sharp said “Of course we knew that there was a chance that we’d be forced into not killing more people in response to some people killing people, so we have a comprehensive ‘plan B’ on the Syrian issue.”
“No-one liked a Chinese burn at school, but as it’s almost impossible to hurt an adult with one it sends a clear warning message that Britain is a force to be reckoned with in the modern defence arena.”
Government scientists at the Porton Down weapons research facility are thought to have developed a wedgie so severe the recipient is left in mild discomfort for up to ten minutes. So far only a handful of senior SAS officers have been taught the technique which is thought to involve a rolled up newspaper and a packet of Polos.