Jan 14 2007
A twenty year war against terror
Mr Blair in his closing months seems to take a delight in telling us we are sentenced to a war against terrorists which will last a generation.
After the mess in Iraq, isn’t it time for a reappraisal of this war? What does he have in mind for the next twenty years? Is he suggesting we need to invade more countries that might be harbouring terrorists, just as he ordered the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq? Does he still think that is the right way to tackle suicide bombers? Isn’t that what he is implying by his wish to have “a debate” on our armed forces, in support of his view that we need the capability to intervene overseas?
I helped and then belonged to a government that had to deal with a prolonged terrorist campaign by Irish terrorists.Many of them were from the Republic of Ireland or assisted by people living in
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John Redwood has been the Member of Parliament for Wokingham since 1987. First attending Kent College, Canterbury, he graduated from Magdalen College...
It’s no wonder the middle eastern states think it is about oil, or that having The Bomb will make a difference. The USA (and Mr. Blair) appear to have no compunction in contemplating regime change in Iran, and destabilising a country with a population of 68 million (even if only 0.1 percent are fanatical about supporting the regime, that means 68,000 potential terrorists). Yet what is happening in North Korea, how much do we want regime change there, and what are we doing about it? (notwithstanding China’s influence). Am I being too simplistic? Appearance and perception are, after all, everything.
Opposition brings with it the luxury of being able to be critical without offering alternatives. What is your assessment of the problem of Islamism and its declared war against us? How would you answer your own questions?
In passing, the comparison with Ireland is inexact. Dublin did not, as a government, directly facilitate action against our troops, in fact there was always some degree of cross-border cooperation. Not so on either front with Iran and Syria.