Blair calls for troops in Iraq, Syria

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair says ISIL terrorists cannot be defeated without the deployment of ground troops in Iraq and Syria, where the militants have taken control of large swathes of land.

Blair made the statement on Monday and added that ISIL terrorism is a global problem that requires a global response.

“Unless you’re prepared to fight these people on the ground, you may contain them but you won’t defeat them,” said Blair.

The former prime minister added that it was possible to “harry and hem them [ISIL militants] in by air power” but at some point “someone’s boots on the ground” would be a necessary tactic.

In addition, Blair said the West has the capability and experience to deploy ground troops to deal with terrorism but this does not necessarily mean that the forces have to come from the West.

The former British premier, who led the country into the unpopular and legally questionable Iraq war in 2003, has earlier said that it may take a generation to defeat the Takfiri insurgency.

The remarks by Blair come as the United States and France are carrying out airstrikes against the Takfiri group. Britain has provided arms to Iraq’s Kurdish fighters who are battling along with Iraqi forces in the northern parts of Iraq.

The ISIL terrorists control large areas of Syria’s east and north. The ISIL sent its Takfiri militants into Iraq in June, seizing large parts of land straddling the border between Syria and Iraq.

Senior Iraqi and Syrian officials have blamed Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey and some other Persian Gulf Arab states for the growing terrorism in their country.

According to a CIA source, more than 15,000 foreign fighters from more than 80 countries have gone to Syria to join militant groups. 2,000 of those fighters are believed to be Westerners, including at least 500 British nationals.

Observers have said the rise of ISIL Takfiri threat can be directly attributed to the policies of Western countries, including the UK, in the Middle East region.

CAH/HMV/HRB