Blair: Ground Troops Shouldn't Be Ruled Out In Fight Against ISIS

Former British prime minister says that Iraq conflict had increased Western nations' "capacity and capability" to fight. His comments have provoked anger on Twitter.

By
Francis Whittaker
by Francis Whittaker

BuzzFeed News Reporter, UK

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair has said the United States, United Kingdom, and other Western powers should not rule out deploying ground troops against militants for the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

Mohamed Abd El Ghany / Reuters

Speaking during an extensive interview with CNN, Blair said, “You certainly need to fight groups like ISIS on the ground. It is possible that those people who are there locally and who have the most immediate interest in fighting ISIS can carry on the ground offensive against them.

"But, look, this will evolve over time, I'm sure. And I'm sure that the leadership, both in the U.S. and elsewhere, will make sure that whatever is necessary to defeat ISIS is done,” he added.

He also said: "This problem isn't going away, and I think you'll find that the policy undergoes a process of evolution, where people realize in different situations you're having different strategies, and there may be situations in which we are prepared to use combat force."

He said that U.S. President Barack Obama was "absolutely right" to take on the group.

However, in a separate interview with the BBC, he said that local forces could be deployed against the group, as he conceded there was "no appetite for ground engagement in the West."

Blair, who now works as a U.N. Middle East Peace Envoy, also published an extensive essay on the subject of ISIS on the website of his Tony Blair Faith Foundation.

He said that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan had improved Western nations' "capacity and capability" to fight, and that was no way to defeat "fanatical" groups like ISIS without "a willingness to take casualties in carrying the fight through to the end."

He added: "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."

Blair's premiership, which lasted 10 years and came to an end in 2007, became defined by the U.K.'s involvement in the Iraq War in 2003, and his close relationship with U.S. President George W. Bush.

Update — Sept. 22, 7:53 a.m. ET

Given the controversy surrounding the Iraq War, Blair's comments, and the fact that he said the conflict had increased Western powers "capacity and capability" to fight, has provoked anger on Twitter.

Karl Sharro @KarlreMarks

Tony Blair wants us to listen to him about Iraq because he has experience sending foreign fighters to wage war there.

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Michael Rosen @MichaelRosenYes

Tony Blair is someone who'll lay down your life for him.

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Khaled Diab @DiabolicalIdea

"Trust me on Iraq, I'm a Bliar," says Tony Blair. If he really learnt any "lessons", he should surrender to the Hague http://t.co/VqtNZASccJ

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Shashank Joshi @shashj

Gem of a headline.

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fleetstreetfox @fleetstreetfox

"Tony Blair has written something on his website". You might as well listen to the cat.

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Andrew Stroehlein @astroehlein

Tony Blair says: "no appetite for ground engagement" in #Iraq. Gee, I wonder why... http://t.co/07U2L6eoAM

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