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| Tony Blair on Islamic State: 'Don't rule out ground troops' | Tony Blair on Islamic State: 'Don't rule out ground troops' |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| 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. | 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 on 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. | 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. | 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. | Previously known as ISIS, the group has been condemned by the West for its brutal tactics, including on-camera beheadings. |
| 'Fanatical' | 'Fanatical' |
| While the US and France have launched air strikes against the militants, Mr Blair said bombing alone would "not suffice". | While the US and France have launched air strikes against the militants, Mr Blair said bombing alone would "not suffice". |
| The UK government has not ruled out joining air strikes in Iraq or Syria, but has said that targeting IS positions in the latter would be complicated. | The UK government has not ruled out joining air strikes in Iraq or Syria, but has said that targeting IS positions in the latter would be complicated. |
| Speaking to BBC News, Mr Blair said that it was possible to "harry and hem them [IS militants] in by air power" but at some point "someone's boots on the ground" would be a necessary tactic. | Speaking to BBC News, Mr Blair said that it was possible to "harry and hem them [IS militants] in by air power" but at some point "someone's boots on the ground" would be a necessary tactic. |
| "I'm not saying we in the West need to do this; it would be better if it were done by those people closer to the ground who have got the most immediate and direct interests in fighting them. | "I'm not saying we in the West need to do this; it would be better if it were done by those people closer to the ground who have got the most immediate and direct interests in fighting them. |
| "But I don't think we can in all circumstances rule it out and after all we do have the force capability to do this." | "But I don't think we can in all circumstances rule it out and after all we do have the force capability to do this." |
| Mr Blair's period in office came to be defined by wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. | Mr Blair's period in office came to be defined by wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. |
| In a 6,500-word essay published on his Faith Foundation website, he said lessons learned from those conflicts had improved the West's "capacity and capability" to fight IS. | In a 6,500-word essay published on his Faith Foundation website, he said lessons learned from those conflicts had improved the West's "capacity and capability" to fight IS. |
| He added that, because groups such as IS were "fanatical", there was no way to defeat them without "a willingness to take casualties in carrying the fight through to the end". | He added that, because groups such as IS were "fanatical", there was no way to defeat them without "a willingness to take casualties in carrying the fight through to the end". |
| 'Root it out' | 'Root it out' |
| The UK has supplied arms to Kurdish fighters and has provided logistical support to other groups battling the jihadists in the region. | The UK has supplied arms to Kurdish fighters and has provided logistical support to other groups battling the jihadists in the region. |
| But repeating his insistence on American news channel CNN that IS could only be confronted with ground troops, Mr Blair added: "I'm sure the leadership of both the US and elsewhere will make sure that whatever is necessary to defeat ISIS is done." | But repeating his insistence on American news channel CNN that IS could only be confronted with ground troops, Mr Blair added: "I'm sure the leadership of both the US and elsewhere will make sure that whatever is necessary to defeat ISIS is done." |
| The IS militant group came to global prominence as it seized large swathes of eastern Syria and northern and western Iraq. | The IS militant group came to global prominence as it seized large swathes of eastern Syria and northern and western Iraq. |
| It has become notorious for tactics including mass killings and the persecution of religious minorities. | It has become notorious for tactics including mass killings and the persecution of religious minorities. |
| But in his essay Mr Blair said: "The problem is not that we're facing a fringe of crazy people, a sort of weird cult confined to a few fanatics. | But in his essay Mr Blair said: "The problem is not that we're facing a fringe of crazy people, a sort of weird cult confined to a few fanatics. |
| "If it was, we could probably root it out, kill or imprison its leaders, deter its followers and close the doors to new recruits." | "If it was, we could probably root it out, kill or imprison its leaders, deter its followers and close the doors to new recruits." |
| He claimed there was a "spectrum of opinion" which "stretches further into parts of Muslim society". | He claimed there was a "spectrum of opinion" which "stretches further into parts of Muslim society". |
| On that spectrum, he said, were those who would oppose extremism, "but who unfortunately share certain elements of the fanatic's world view". | On that spectrum, he said, were those who would oppose extremism, "but who unfortunately share certain elements of the fanatic's world view". |
| Mr Blair has been the UN's Middle East peace envoy since 2007. | Mr Blair has been the UN's Middle East peace envoy since 2007. |