Tony Blair: West should send ground forces into Iraq to fight the militants of the Islamic State

Tony Blair: West should send ground forces into Iraq to fight the militants of the Islamic State

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Former British Prime Minister, said that the air strikes, which the United States and France have now applied for the positions of extremists will not be enough to defeat the Islamic state

Tony Blair said that Western countries should be prepared to send ground forces into Iraq to fight the group “Islamic State” (IG). He believes that the air strikes, which the United States and France have now applied for the positions of the Islamic State will not be enough to defeat this group.

In this case, Blair believes that the bulk of the land operations against the extremists of the “Islamic state” should carry troops of Middle Eastern countries. This position he outlined in his essay, published today on the website of the organization “Tony Blair Faith Foundation”. The article is devoted to the threat posed by the Islamic State, and the efforts of the West to combat it.

“If it is possible, others (countries), which are closer to the battlefield, which have a direct interest, should get weapons and military training to fight a war,” – said Blair.

“There are real signs of what is now the Middle East are ready to take responsibility, and I accept that now the West is not eager to see their ground forces on the battlefield. However, we should not exclude that in the future, if need be” – he said.

Grouping “Islamic state” has bases in Syria and leads offensive against government forces in Iraq. Late last week, The Times newspaper reported that Jordan is ready to send ground troops to Syria to fight against the Islamic State. In this case, it referred to “sources familiar with the point of view of the Jordanian King Abdullah.”

On the orders of President Barack Obama’s United States Air Force air strikes on the positions of the group “Islamic state” in Iraq. Giving the order to start the operation, Obama assured that the United States would not send ground forces in Iraq. The United Kingdom Government has not yet given consent to participate in the operation of its air force, it also states that it will not send ground troops to Iraq.

During the reign of Great Britain Tony Blair took part in the invasion of Iraq in 2003, coalition forces led by the United States. Dissatisfaction with the presence of the British troops in Iraq, the country was one of the reasons for a decline in popularity of Blair, who resigned in 2007.

Lieutenant General Graeme Lamb, a former commander of the British special forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, supported the view of Blair. Lam said that the government of the kingdom must declare that it does not exclude the possibility of sending troops to Iraq, primarily military advisers. Also, the general noted that considers possible involvement of British troops in combat operations in Iraq.

 

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