The debate sort of sounds like Bill Clinton questioning the meaning of the word ‘is’ when he was asked: “Is there anything going on between you and Monica Lewinski?”
“The government’s current line is that a combat mission must come before the House of Commons for a vote: the current mission qualifying as such because of the aerial bombing this country was to participate in. The previous commitment of special forces to Iraq did not receive a vote because that was not considered to be engaging in ground combat. Now we are looking at a debate about what constitutes combat and what precisely is involved in a mission that otherwise doesn’t include combat. That seems like a very useful discussion to have—most usefully before the House commits to a mission.”
IR Theory & Practice 