Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

IDemo

(16,926 posts)
Mon Sep 22, 2014, 09:41 AM Sep 2014

Tony Blair: 'Ground troops are necessary to fight Islamic State - diplomacy will not defeat them'

Source: The Independent

Tony Blair has urged Britain not to rule out sending ground troops to combat the Islamic State (Isis), arguing air strikes are not enough to defeat the terrorist group.

In a 6,500 word essay published on his website, the former Prime Minister said that with the consent of Iraq and Syria and a broad international alliance including Arab countries, David Cameron could avoid the “weaknesses” of Western strategy after September 11th.

Mr Blair, whose political career was defined by his decision to follow America into war in Iraq and Afghanistan, said he fully accepted there is “no appetite” for ground engagement in the West but it may be necessary.

“We have to fight groups like Isis,” he wrote. “There can be an abundance of diplomacy, all necessary relief of humanitarian suffering, every conceivable statement of condemnation which we can muster, but unless they're accompanied by physical combat, we will mitigate the problem but not overcome it...

Read more: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/tony-blair-ground-troops-are-necessary-to-fight-islamic-state--diplomacy-will-not-defeat-them-9747714.html

19 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Tony Blair: 'Ground troops are necessary to fight Islamic State - diplomacy will not defeat them' (Original Post) IDemo Sep 2014 OP
Well, he's probably right but we need to let the Kurds and WhoWoodaKnew Sep 2014 #1
Agreed. We can offer them some training though as well as some air support if they need it cstanleytech Sep 2014 #18
Then suit up and ship out Tony. marmar Sep 2014 #2
Good Point coldbeer Sep 2014 #5
Agreed lsewpershad Sep 2014 #17
strap him to the first bomb dropped. He can go with McCain. It could be twofer. roguevalley Sep 2014 #19
Diplomacy - I wonder if he considers economic action diplomacy? One of the things the president jwirr Sep 2014 #3
You may presuppose he's got a functioning brain. dipsydoodle Sep 2014 #7
Cheney lap dog barks. ReRe Sep 2014 #4
Remind me again... CJCRANE Sep 2014 #6
George W. Bush lap dog sez whut?!?! blkmusclmachine Sep 2014 #8
Middle East Peace Envoy ... lol Lenomsky Sep 2014 #9
First thing I thought... the Peace Envoy strikes rpannier Sep 2014 #12
What Was The Lesson Of Vietnam? DallasNE Sep 2014 #10
If it wasn't for w, Cheney, and Tony the Poodle's unneeded war ISIS would not exist Botany Sep 2014 #11
Yet another war-mongering fool R.Quinn Sep 2014 #13
So says another of the War Hawks. SoapBox Sep 2014 #14
Excuse me but.. LiberalLovinLug Sep 2014 #15
Always good to have an expert's opinion. Well get right out there and start fighting, Tony! n/t Bossy Monkey Sep 2014 #16

cstanleytech

(26,080 posts)
18. Agreed. We can offer them some training though as well as some air support if they need it
Mon Sep 22, 2014, 02:21 PM
Sep 2014

but other than that they need to deal with it themselves as best they can.

coldbeer

(306 posts)
5. Good Point
Mon Sep 22, 2014, 09:54 AM
Sep 2014

These war mongers never fight except for John McCain,
and he did not have a stellar career. He crashed planes
and got captured and that made him a hero.

jwirr

(39,215 posts)
3. Diplomacy - I wonder if he considers economic action diplomacy? One of the things the president
Mon Sep 22, 2014, 09:48 AM
Sep 2014

has talked about is stopping their funding and isolating them. As to ground troops - I am sorry to say this but we still after years have ground troops setting in the ME and we do not seem to have done much but put a temporary hold on the war.

The only kind of ground troops that will work are those from the ME. That is what he should be calling for.

rpannier

(24,304 posts)
12. First thing I thought... the Peace Envoy strikes
Mon Sep 22, 2014, 10:46 AM
Sep 2014

Come on Tony and get your gun
Report to General ....

DallasNE

(7,392 posts)
10. What Was The Lesson Of Vietnam?
Mon Sep 22, 2014, 10:30 AM
Sep 2014

In a guerrilla war it is about the minds and hearts rather than foreign troops on the ground. We had over 500,000 troops on the ground in Vietnam and the mission was a dismal, unmitigated disaster. Hand picked puppet leaders are the next major failing. Does Iraq still have the leadership to turn things around? I haven't read much about the new guy and that is not a good sign. ISIS has Saddam's old generals and they lead like Saddam led. Apparently Blair doesn't read history much and the role the failure of leadership plays out in these situations. But, then, for Blair to admit that would mean that he would have to admit that he was himself a failure at leadership.

LiberalLovinLug

(14,153 posts)
15. Excuse me but..
Mon Sep 22, 2014, 01:21 PM
Sep 2014

Fucking shut your yap you lying fucking poodle!
Not only that but he also steered the long and proud Labour Party from a peoples party to a corporate dog and mass murdering war criminals.

Even IF ground troops will eventually be necessary, he, Cheney, or any others in that criminal gang responsible for not only the 100,000+ violent deaths of Iraqi civilians in the first place, but also the rise of ISIS after destabilizing the region, looting it, creating enemies, and leaving....are NOT the ones to push for it. They should be silently sitting in jail cells.

Latest Discussions»Latest Breaking News»Tony Blair: 'Ground troop...