Our 'clear' duty to help Iraq as West Midlands MPs back airstrikes

But there were concerns that the UK could be at the beginning of years of conflict as well as questions over why the UK is not intervening in Syria too, where ISIL/ISIS militants are also active.

The Prime Minister braced the public for a mission that would last 'not just months but years' but said he was not prepared to 'subcontract' the protection of British streets from terrorism to other countries' air forces.

Long-serving Walsall North Labour MP David Winnick raised concerns that the UK could embark on a war lasting years, as it has done with previous interventions in the Middle East.

He said: "ISIS indeed are made up of murderous psychopaths. That's not the issue. We know that."

He was interrupted by shouts from other MPs before continuing: "The question is, will what the Prime Minister and the Government is proposing, will that be effective in destroying ISIS?

"Look at what the House of Commons agreed to.

"Iraq, Afghanistan, in this government Libya. None are success stories.

"Are we going to embark on action that could last for years?"

David Cameron replied: "I will come on to why this is different to the decision the House made in 2003 about Iraq. But the fact is this is about psychopathic, murderers trying to kill us. And we do have to realise that whether we like it or not they have already declared war on us."

Stourbridge Conservative MP Margot James said: "Those against any form of action will always pose questions that are impossible to answer at the outset of any conflict. They will draw on historical examples of when things go wrong.

"But they will ignore examples of more successful interventions such as Bosnia and Sierra Leone.

"The fact that the answers to those questions are imperfect does not provide sufficient justification for turning our backs on the Iraqi government's plea for help.

"The threat to civilian life is so much greater from inaction than it is from action.

"We are dealing with a growing army of medieval barbarians who have the most modern 21st century military equipment at their disposal.

"The methods are so barbaric, the manpower and financial resources are so substantial that other regional powers are not a match for them without western support."

Wolverhampton South East Labour MP Pat McFadden urged MPs to consider Syria too.

He said: "This is not a war against Islam. It is about co-existence. Co-existence is absolutely fundamental to our society. The ability to choose governments, equality of rights and freedom of speech and religious. ISIS rejects this. It cares nothing for anyone that does not sign up to its single truth.

"We have to ask, why is it right to come to the aid of victims of ISIS under a democracy in Iraq and not those under a dictatorship in Syria?"

Controversial Respect MP George Galloway sparked outrage when he called ISIS an 'imaginary army'.

Ian Austin, MP for Dudley North, said: "Does he not understand how appalled people will be to hear him say that women buried alive, women enslaved are quiescent in their persecution by these people? What a total disgrace."

Mr Galloway replied: "They don't like it up them. ISIL is a death cult. It's not an army. It's not an army that's going to be destroyed by aerial bombardment. ISIL is able to rule the parts of Iraq that it does because no-one has any confidence in the government in Baghdad."

Wolverhampton North East's Emma Reynolds said: "I'm sure we're all ever so grateful for the lecture but what is his solution to the problem?"

Galloway: "This will not be solved. Extremism will spread further around the world. The people outside can see it but the fools in here with their big salaries and expenses cannot."

Have your say and vote in our poll: Should Britain be involved in air stikes against Isis?