Blair: West not responsible for terrorism

[Uthman]

Tony Blair says there are no grounds for claims western intervention in Iraq and the rest of the Middle East had made the world a more dangerous place.

The former prime minister denied that going to war in Iraq had "provoked" Muslims towards extremism and terrorism.

"The people from those groups that back the Taliban that then go in and plant a car bomb - how are we provoking them to do that?," Mr Blair asked.

"That's what has to be challenged, and actually one of the reasons why we will not defeat this, in my view, until we start challenging this position within Islam and outside of Islam, is because there is no reason why they should do that."

In a wide-ranging interview with the Belief programme on BBC Radio 3, Mr Blair - now envoy for the Middle East quartet - said he did not go a "single day" without reflecting on the responsibility of the decision to go to war.

"I think these decisions are the most difficult you ever take, and you cannot and should not take them incidentally because you believe that you have some religious conviction that's superior to anyone else," he explained.

Mr Blair's former press secretary Alastair Campbell famously said "we don't do God" during Mr Blair's time at No 10.

But since leaving office in 2007 Mr Blair has converted to Catholicism, set up the Tony Blair Faith Foundation and talked widely about his religious convictions.

On the eve of the invasion of Iraq he had been asked whether the Christian faith he shared with then US president George Bush made the conflict easier to view in terms of good and evil.

"I don't think so, no," he replied. "I think that whether you're a Christian or you're not a Christian you can try perceive what is good and what is, is evil."

In the Radio 3 Belief interview, Mr Blair elaborated: "I certainly don't believe that there is a Christian conviction that is superior one way or another on what the right thing to do is."

Source

 

[Muezzin]

"I think these decisions are the most difficult you ever take, and you cannot and should not take them incidentally because you believe that you have some religious conviction that's superior to anyone else," he explained.

I wish the interviewer had mentioned Mr Bush's 'mission from God' reasoning at this point...

 

[burdenofbeing]

I don't think the christianity of blair or UK has too much to do with their actions in ME. It's more of a pragmatist approach. Also "Islamic extremists" are as much "threat" to atheist/seculars as they are to christians.

 

[Eric H]

Greetings and peace be with you brother Osman;

Mr Blair's former press secretary Alastair Campbell famously said "we don't do God" during Mr Blair's time at No 10.

I wonder how Mr. Blair would have acted if he had put God first, when deciding about Iraq?

But since leaving office in 2007 Mr Blair has converted to Catholicism, set up the Tony Blair Faith Foundation and talked widely about his religious convictions.

I wonder why Mr. Blair felt he could not be a Catholic and a prime minister at the same time. Although I am grateful he was not a Catholic at the time of the invasion.

In the spirit of searching for God in troubled times

Eric

 

[Dawud_uk]

i cannot believe blair is this stupid, so either he is a liar or he is deluded or both.

simply put, iraq isnt the only reason for jihad and before it is mentioned history didnt begin on 9/11.

islam has been under attack for a lot longer than this, afghanistan before iraq where the islamic state that was forming was destroyed by the west.

fundementally we wont to be left alone to sort out our own apostate rulers and our own nations, without the west propping up these corrupt kings and presidents and putting in troops whenever they dont like another ruler.

when the west leaves the islamic lands alone and stops their wars and meddling then the terrorism will stop. until they do that there will always be some who will attack the west.

 

[wth1257]

i cannot believe blair is this stupid.

oh you of little faith

 

[Dawud_uk]

oh you of little faith

a friend once said something to me which struck me as a true,

he said blair was more like abu sufyan than abu jahil or abu lahab.

if you research the character and lives of these three men you'll see what i mean.

 

[Uthman]

Greetings Eric H,

I wonder how Mr. Blair would have acted if he had put God first, when deciding about Iraq?

I wonder why Mr. Blair felt he could not be a Catholic and a prime minister at the same time. Although I am grateful he was not a Catholic at the time of the invasion.

The following article might be an interesting one for you to read:

http://www.newstatesman.com/religion/2009/03/world-million-faith-god

Peace

 

[Eric H]

Greetings and peace be with you Mr. Osman; thanks for the link.

I set up the Tony Blair Faith Foundation with the aim of promoting greater respect and understanding between the major religions, to make the case for religion as a force for good, and to show this in action by encouraging interfaith initiatives to tackle global poverty and conflict.

Taken from your link.

http://www.newstatesman.com/religion/2009/03/world-million-faith-god

These are all noble qualities that even atheist can recognise, sadly they did not seem too visible when he was PM; he seemed to have strange ideas on tackling conflict.

In the spirit of praying for peace on Earth

Eric

 

[Keltoi]

I agree with Blair in large part. The terrorism that we see in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, etc, is a product of an ideology. That ideology has been in place for many, many years. I'm sure that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have been helpful for these terrorist groups in recruiting new followers, as its good propoganda, but this ideology would exist in the absence of any American or British intervention in the ME.

 

[burdenofbeing]

I agree with Blair in large part. The terrorism that we see in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, etc, is a product of an ideology. That ideology has been in place for many, many years. I'm sure that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have been helpful for these terrorist groups in recruiting new followers, as its good propoganda, but this ideology would exist in the absence of any American or British intervention in the ME.

that's pretty ignorant of you. would you mind explaining that ideology you claim to breed terrorism? I hope it's not the belief that one should defened his life and country against threats.

 

[Keltoi]

that's pretty ignorant of you. would you mind explaining that ideology you claim to breed terrorism? I hope it's not the belief that one should defened his life and country against threats.

It would be ignorant to pretend there isn't an extremist brand of Islam out there that will resort to any atrocity to further its political and religious goals. That is the ideology that I'm referring to.

 

[Nσσя'υℓ Jαииαн]

There is no other "brand" of Islam as u speak. There is only one Islam. Just cuz ppl cant seem to follow it, doesn't mean there's automatically another version. This claim is faulty.

I'm expecting you to disagree, but I wouldn't be surprised. I still hold to what I said.

 

[Keltoi]

There is no other "brand" of Islam as u speak. There is only one Islam. Just cuz ppl cant seem to follow it, doesn't mean there's automatically another version. This claim is faulty.

I'm expecting you to disagree, but I wouldn't be surprised. I still hold to what I said.

It seems to be a matter of semantics to me. You say you follow Islam, "there is only one"...but others can't seem to follow it. So what are these others doing? I would assume they believe if you aren't following what they are following you aren't following the correct path. I refer to it as a differing "brand" of Islam...or perhaps a different ideology, and you claim they just aren't following Islam. It seems we are saying the same thing when you get to the point.

 

[Nσσя'υℓ Jαииαн]

I never said I'm following it right or cuz they arent following what im following, they are wrong. Not at all. But if Muslims do things that are obvious according to the Qur'an and Sunnah, whats plain to see thats it's wrong, then its wrong, not that there's a different version of Islam.

 

[Keltoi]

I never said I'm following it right or cuz they arent following what im following, they are wrong. Not at all. But if Muslims do things that are obvious according to the Qur'an and Sunnah, whats plain to see thats it's wrong, then its wrong, not that there's a different version of Islam.

Do you believe strapping on a bomb and blowing up women and children in a market is part of Islam? If not, I would assume you believe those that do are not representing Islam. The problem is that to them, and those that follow or lead them, they do believe they are following the Qu'ran. Either these are two different understandings of what is in the Qu'ran, or these are two different belief systems.

 

[alcurad]

keltoi, I see you studiously avoid mentioning Iraq, what started terrorism there?
as for Pakistan/Afghanistan, the soviet invasion and consequent events are the reason why those places lack proper government, a perfect environment for all sorts of criminals.
many if not most despots ruling muslim countries are supported openly by the US especially, with all that implies.
the 'evil' brand is to a great extent the West's doing at this time.

 

[Uthman]

Have Muslim terrorists ever attempted to justify their actions with Islamic evidences?

 

[alcurad]

^yes, it doesn't really stand to scrutiny, but the gullible are many.

 

[Dawud_uk]

Have Muslim terrorists ever attempted to justify their actions with Islamic evidences?

there evidences are actually quite strong, i dont feel it convinces me 100% in all cases but there are many evidences for defensive jihad being valid today, the difference is not everyone agrees with this being carried out here in the west.