The prime minister rejected a strategy for Syria that would have ‘squeezed’ out Islamic State, Lord Richards tells biographer Sir Anthony Seldon David Cameron lacked the “balls” to take the military action in Syria that could have prevented the rise of Islamic State, a former head of the armed forces has said.In a scathing analysis of the prime minister’s approach, General Lord Richards of Herstmonceux said it too often seemed “more about the Notting Hill liberal agenda rather than statecraft”.