Tony Blair and tackling radical Islam (merged thread)

[carl]

Slap:

The importance of Mr. Blair's speech lies in the fact that a bone-fide member of the international elite is willing to say what is obvious and increasingly so, this is a matter of religion and we have to recognize that and take a side. As he said the religious part is a fight within Islam between the takfiri jihadist killers and the those Muslims who are willing to live and let live. The Muslims will primarily determine who wins that one but that is where our having to pick and take a side comes in. We can't determine which side will win but we can have some influence on the outcome, if we try. We will have no influence at all if we don't try and that is where the picking the side part comes in.

So good for Tony, and astute of Tony too. He anticipated the exact nature of the criticisms he would receive in his speech. The speech is an encouraging sign. If one prominent member of the international elite is able to see the sun in the sky there are probably others who are starting to notice the heat on their faces and that they are squinting a lot.

Who knows? Maybe they have been reading Zenpundit.

[Fuchs]

You seriously used the expression "bona fide" in the context of Tony Blair?
The man is a proved liar and warmonger.

[carl]

Yep, I do. He is a bone fide member of the international elite. He gets covered and he can raise money for things he wants to raise money for. And he will get into places and be able to talk to people that we will never ever see or talk to. Whether you like it or not, he gets into the right parties and we don't.

So that's why his speech is important.

[slapout9]

Yep, I do. He is a bone fide member of the international elite. He gets covered and he can raise money for things he wants to raise money for. And he will get into places and be able to talk to people that we will never ever see or talk to. Whether you like it or not, he gets into the right parties and we don't.

So that's why his speech is important.

carl,
Your are right to. He is a true 1%er and he is speaking out like he should instead of cowering to Radical Islam. What we need is a Anglo-American Spring to counter the Arabic spring Go Tony!

[TheCurmudgeon]

carl,
Your are right to. He is a true 1%er and he is speaking out like he should instead of cowering to Radical Islam. What we need is a Anglo-American Spring to counter the Arabic spring Go Tony!

You missed it. It was in Washington D.C. Today.

[davidbfpo]

This thread refers to one speech by Tony Blair, it originally appeared as 'Tackling Radical Islam Needs Religious Focus: Blair' three weeks ago posted by JMA and then as 'Tony Blair Calls Politicians Cowards About Islam' three days ago when posted by slapout9.

I have merged the threads and entitled it 'Tony Blair and tackling radical Islam'.

[davidbfpo]

TheCurmudgeon asked a couple of days ago:

I would really like to know David's thoughts on this.

Please see Post 7.

I can understand why some here appreciate Tony Blair, but however well connected he can be - presumably he was well paid for his Bloomberg speech - his credibility outside a mixed audience of admirers is IMHO low. Not only in the UK, but amongst those he calls upon to "take up the good fight", partly as his stance can easily be described as the anti-zealot's zealot.

Sadly, in the UK context only, we have had politicians from both main parties, in and out of government, speak passionately on confronting first the 'violent extremist', then the 'extremists'. After the speeches very little happens, yes there are state actions and a dribble of money - a small fraction of that spent on other options.

Politicians here would be far more credible if they actually did something after the speeches. It is a reflection of our politicians and maybe a declining public part in politics that such speeches are rarely in public, let alone take questions.