There was an enlightening and erudite exchange on the Syrian Crisis in Your Lordships' House last Thursday, when the noble Lord, Lord West, said: “Unless we start to discuss and talk with Russia, Iran and - I am afraid - the butcher Assad, and all the coalition, we are not going to be able to put together a package that will enable us to destroy ISIL, which is the group that we have to destroy because it is the greatest threat”.