According to Tony Blair, violent Islamic extremism is leading the West in terms of spending, strategy, and maneuvering.
The former prime minister stated that there has been a neglect in challenging the ‘narrative’ portraying Islam as oppressed by the West, which contributes to extremism globally.
He noted that an excessive number of individuals embrace the extremists’ viewpoint, suggesting that the military responses by the West after the 9/11 attacks were aimed at Muslim countries, while asserting support for Israel was because its citizens are Jewish and those in Palestine are Muslim.
‘We should realize how ridiculous it is to be shocked by the widespread nature of this extremism,’ he remarked.
‘Consider the financial resources it obtains. Investigate the educational institutions that support it. Then assess, over time, the inadequacy of our efforts for peaceful co-existence. We have been outspent, outmanoeuvred, and out-strategised.’
In a speech last night in New York to the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, Mr. Blair emphasized that it is impossible to defeat extremism ‘without also dismantling the narrative that sustains it.’
He pointed out that moderate Muslims who advocate for coexistence and tolerance are being weakened by the West’s reluctance to confront the extremists’ rhetoric.
‘We believe that by showing sympathy toward the narrative—that this extremism has partly emerged due to our actions—we are meeting it halfway, supporting the modernizers to be more effective,’ he explained.
‘In reality, we do not. We indulge in it and diminish their influence. Even worse, there arises a backlash among our people, believing we are catering to this narrative, leading to resentment towards Muslims as a whole.’
