Tony Blair on Islamic State: 'Don't rule out ground troops'

[webfact]

Tony Blair on Islamic State: 'Don't rule out ground troops'

LONDON: -- Former Prime Minister Tony Blair has said that sending in combat troops to fight Islamic State militants on the ground should not be ruled out.

Mr Blair said in a BBC interview: "Unless you're prepared to fight these people of the ground, you may contain them but you won't defeat them."

He said there was "no appetite for ground engagement in the West" and that local forces could take on the role.

The jihadists claim to have established a caliphate in Syria and northern Iraq.

Previously known as ISIS, the group has been condemned by the West for its brutal tactics, including on-camera beheadings.

Full story: http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-29305840


-- BBC 2014-09-22

[terryp]

was he smiling when he said this?

[Ulysses G.]

Listen to Tony. He'll never steer you wrong.

[Mosha]

Mist have been a day off from harduous book signing duties.

[Scott]

A post with the misuse of a politician's name has been deleted. Please use the correct name and format of the name.

[Mosha]

Tony Blair "It wasn't us guv.'

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-27852832

[transam]

Tony Blair "It wasn't us guv.'

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-27852832

[Mosha]

Tony Blair "It wasn't us guv.'

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-27852832

Following that interview.Boris Johnson wrote in his column. Tony Blair is unhinged

[borllih08]

Tony Blair. .

This man is still a <deleted> has he not lernt from his mistakes from before. I like to see his sun fighting in a war thathas NOTHING TO DO WITH THE UK

[Halion]

I trust that this clown fully realizes that this frenzied ISIS caliphate is a direct result of the vacuum that both he and Bush created with their invasion of Iraq and subsequent withdrawal.

The man is a narcissistic moron more suited for celebrity status than leadership.

[emilymat]

I voted for Tony Blair in 1997 but fully accept he is now 'damaged goods'. Gives me no pleasure to say that but, unfortunately it is true.

[rickirs]

Maybe Tony has a plan to draft able bodied Scots to fight against ISIS

[hard124get]

What we can rule out is Euan, Nicky or Leo Blair leading the charge !

[Frank James]

Hear hear Tony! Good show! And we nominate You to ride into Baghdad at the head of the column of the Queen's Own Fuseiliers. Up the Global State!

[Benmart]

In a free society, most anyone can express their view points. In a supressed one, not so much.

I have no answers, only fears.

[khaowong1]

I trust that this clown fully realizes that this frenzied ISIS caliphate is a direct result of the vacuum that both he and Bush created with their invasion of Iraq and subsequent withdrawal.

The man is a narcissistic moron more suited for celebrity status than leadership.

Invaded yes, but withdrawal, if you listen to Obama, he personally instigated the withdrawal..

[stoli]

Very well said. Certainly there will be ground troops needed, but why would the west need to provide those when those countries already have them? We are providing the worlds most advanced fighter jets and bombers from the air for surgical strikes, and they can perform the clean up in areas too populated for our arial attacks. We do not need to do everything just to pump up our own chests. I do not understand when we talk of how advanced the IS is with their ground troops when so many of them are American & European fighters recruited last month. Certainly Irag ground forces are trained better than these guys.

[stoli]

I trust that this clown fully realizes that this frenzied ISIS caliphate is a direct result of the vacuum that both he and Bush created with their invasion of Iraq and subsequent withdrawal.

The man is a narcissistic moron more suited for celebrity status than leadership.

I guess the fact the ISIS was formed in 1996, before anyone had a Tony Blair or George Bush, has escaped your attention. So much for "direct results". Study, learn......

[DaiHard]

The UK prime minister that committed the country to more wars than any other in history (5) now wants another one. BTW, how's that middle east peace envoy thing going Tony?

[DaiHard]

I trust that this clown fully realizes that this frenzied ISIS caliphate is a direct result of the vacuum that both he and Bush created with their invasion of Iraq and subsequent withdrawal.

The man is a narcissistic moron more suited for celebrity status than leadership.

I guess the fact the ISIS was formed in 1996, before anyone had a Tony Blair or George Bush, has escaped your attention. So much for "direct results". Study, learn......

Actually it was formed in 1999 but never really got going until 2004 when it fought against the occupation. Without the Iraq war it would have sunk into obscurity.

[Exsexyman]

Well, Tony Blair has certainly united the UK. Everybody hates him.

[Bwanatickey]

What sort of people does Tony now hang out with, are they helping him with his understanding of the middle east. Tony and his entourage must be experts in the knowledge of this region.

Who is advising this Tony ?

[Matej]

I agree with him. Airstrikes are not enough to beat IS.

These days we see significant shift in the Obama's policy, it's clear what will(have to) follow.

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2014/09/23/why-airstrikes-in-syria-are-just-the-beginning/

[losworld]

What crap this whole exercise is really about one thing and that is using ISIS as a pretext to attack Assad's troops either directly or indirectly. Wake up folks.

[coma]

This is one guy that would best serve the world by finding a large rock and crawling under it and die.

[MJP]

This is one guy that would best serve the world by finding a large rock and crawling under it and die.

Blair should be on that front line. On the ground. Boots 'n all.

[coma]

This is one guy that would best serve the world by finding a large rock and crawling under it and die.

Blair should be on that front line. On the ground. Boots 'n all.

Yeah right. He is a muppet. He wouldn"t last 5 minutes in a 'stick up'.

[Steely Dan]

I agree with him. Airstrikes are not enough to beat IS.

These days we see significant shift in the Obama's policy, it's clear what will(have to) follow.

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2014/09/23/why-airstrikes-in-syria-are-just-the-beginning/

Saddam Hussein was a tyrant, but he performed the useful function of suppressing religious fanaticism. Bush and Blair failed to appreciate this so didn't have a correct exit strategy, without one intervention was a mistake. Now we have let the evil of Jihad out of its box, we will have to fight it wherever it appears. A few air strikes won't stop ethnic cleansing or genocide. Non intervention would simply compound the mistake of the original intervention.

[losworld]

I agree with him. Airstrikes are not enough to beat IS.

These days we see significant shift in the Obama's policy, it's clear what will(have to) follow.

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2014/09/23/why-airstrikes-in-syria-are-just-the-beginning/

Saddam Hussein was a tyrant, but he performed the useful function of suppressing religious fanaticism. Bush and Blair failed to appreciate this so didn't have a correct exit strategy, without one intervention was a mistake. Now we have let the evil of Jihad out of its box, we will have to fight it wherever it appears. A few air strikes won't stop ethnic cleansing or genocide. Non intervention would simply compound the mistake of the original intervention.

Yes Saddam ruled with an iron fist but probably a softer one than is used in Saudi Arabia and other "pro western" states. Question is this Saddam's nature or did he quickly realize the only way to keep a disunited country together is with an iron fist then develop this style? Probably a bit of both. It is so ridiculous that a country such as American that has countless states does not employ the same philosophy when it conquered Iraq. Perhaps they felt Iraq did not deserve democracy?

[spidermike007]

I propose that if a man like Blair advocates ground troops, that he volunteers to put his own boots on the ground, and out his own life at risk. Same goes for Cameron, Obama, and all the other politicians that are so willing to put our youths lives at risk over something they consider to be important. If it is really important, do as the Kings in the old days did. Get out there and fight for your country. Otherwise, just shut the <deleted>** up, and try to help your people at home.