Having voted against the Government's plans to go to war with Syria, I and other colleagues who did likewise, or abstained, have been subjected to a smear campaign by those who should know better. Let me quash the first innuendo that we 'voted with Labour'. We did not. In fact, it was widely expected that Labour would support the Government on Thursday until an about turn by Mr Miliband. In the event, we did vote in the same lobby as Labour, but we were there to prevent an unseemly rush to war, not to support the Opposition. There is a significant difference. Second, it's put about that we are isolationists, even appeasers, and, again by innuendo, supporters of a disgusting regime like Assad's. This, coming from senior colleagues, is a pity. Saying 'no' is sometimes the hardest decision to make, as it was in this case, especially when you see the horrifying pictures on television. But I do not believe dropping bombs on Syria would have alleviated the problem one bit; in fact it would have made it far worse. Taking one's country to war and giving the green light to our diminished armed services to kill people in our name is a very serious business. We must let our head rule our hearts and that is what many MPs like me did on Thursday night. If, for example, the Falklands was invaded by the Argentinians, I and my colleagues would be leading the battle to retake them. It's what's in our national interest that counts today and attacking Syria, a satellite state of Russia's, is not in our national interest. None of us knows what the future holds there and Russia, America and the UK are holding talks at the G20 even as I write. If Russia is prepared to do more than sabre-rattle, then perhaps Assad will come to the table. Let's face it, it's in Russia's interest for Assad to remain if fundamentalist Islam is not to dominate the region and cause even more chaos in the years ahead. No decision like Thursday night's is easy. But a mature debate around such an important issue is the key if politicians are to work together for the greater good.