Tony BLiar is the product of a higher education. As late as 2008 he insisted ‘I regularly read the Koran, practically every day; Muhammad “an enormously civilizing force”
Given Tony Blair’s other pronouncements about Islam, I doubt that he understands it even now. However, in these new statements he does seem to be at least implying that the democracy project in Iraq was foredoomed, as I have argued since early 2003, because of something about Islam. And certainly he is correct that Western leaders’ ignorance of Islam will lead them into policy errors. We are still seeing that happen on a more or less daily basis. “Tony Blair: I did not understand Islam at time of 9/11 attacks,” from the Telegraph, August 31 (thanks to Robert Spencer:
The September 11 attacks represented the declaration of war by a new type of enemy, Tony Blair says.He claims that he quickly realised the implications of the suicide bombers crashing aircraft into the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon, having heard the news while preparing to deliver a speech to the TUC in Brighton.
Mr Blair says he understood the new war was ideological, but admits that at the time he did not fully understand the history of Islam. He admits he underestimated the “hold of this extremism”….
Hugh Fitzgerald:
By his use of the word “extremism” Blair shows, in the very attempt to admit to his own previous ignorance, that he still doesn’t understand or does not wish to state things accurately. It is not “extremism” but rather Islam itself, plain,ordinary, easy-to-understand-by-more-than-a-billion-people Islam, that is itself what Blair continues to misleadingly, and dishonestly, identify as “extremism.” This will not do. He is still demonstrating that the mental confusion remains. He just can’t bring himself to see things steadily ahd whole. Because if he did, far more than his deep belief in the efficacy of the Iraq venture would be called into question. The entire policy, which he allowed, of continued Muslim migration into Great Britain, and the Labor Party politicians who courted Muslim voters by pretending there was nothing wrong with Islam, and still worse, became indignant with those who dared to disagree — all this, and more, is part of Tony Blair’s record, and that of so many other political figures who have done such damage to their own countries over the past few decades. They deserve to be thought of as we now think of Chamberlain, or Daladier, or others who were appeasers, and who helped prevent policies that might, before it was too late, have stopped Hitler.
“British diplomacy has transformed a pariah state into an ally.”- from the Telegraph, UK. And then this:
Col Gaddafi, once paymaster and arms dealer to the IRA and a host of other terrorist groups, is now on first name terms with the Prime Minister.
Yep. Lets make a deal…. Blair, Gaddafi and the BP oil deal
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Misunderestimated allah, and became just another misunderstander, fawning all over muslims and islam like a … poodle? Unfortunately, he helped to plunge Britain into a neo-dark age.
Neither did I when I was attacked by a Muslim gang. In Australia.
Police don’t believe it either. I did not get a big pay off either like Mr. Blair. Funny that isn’t it? Our police and most of our citizens don’t believe it either. But they will. Very soon they will. Then perhaps the will want us to go out on the street to defend them. Count me out. I have had most of the bones in my body broken. Mr. Blair looks ok except for the clown mask. My face had a black and blue mask of bruises, but it had the same effect = no one recognized me..