PM IN TERROR U-TURN
By Bob Roberts, Deputy Political Editor, In Los Angeles
TONY Blair last night called for a complete rethink of the war on terror.
In a clear admission that military action is not working, the Prime Minister said he wanted a "renaissance" of diplomatic effort.
Speaking on the day three of our soldiers were killed in Afghanistan and another died in Iraq, Mr Blair urged a "reappraisal" of the way Britain and the US dealt with Islamic extremists.
His call was seen as moving away from President Bush's tough military approach.
Referring to the war on terror, he told the World Affairs Council in Los Angeles: "We will not win the battle against global extremism unless we win it at the level of values as much as force, unless we show we are even-handed, fair and just in our application of those values.
"In reality, we are at present far away from persuading those we need to persuade that this is true."
He went on: "Doing this requires us to change dramatically the focus of our strategy.
"Unless we reappraise our strategy, unless we revitalise the broad global agenda on poverty, climate change, trade and bend every sinew of our will to making peace between Israel and Palestine, we will not win. And this is a battle we must win."
By Bob Roberts, Deputy Political Editor, In Los Angeles
TONY Blair last night called for a complete rethink of the war on terror.
In a clear admission that military action is not working, the Prime Minister said he wanted a "renaissance" of diplomatic effort.
Speaking on the day three of our soldiers were killed in Afghanistan and another died in Iraq, Mr Blair urged a "reappraisal" of the way Britain and the US dealt with Islamic extremists.
His call was seen as moving away from President Bush's tough military approach.
Referring to the war on terror, he told the World Affairs Council in Los Angeles: "We will not win the battle against global extremism unless we win it at the level of values as much as force, unless we show we are even-handed, fair and just in our application of those values.
"In reality, we are at present far away from persuading those we need to persuade that this is true."
He went on: "Doing this requires us to change dramatically the focus of our strategy.
"Unless we reappraise our strategy, unless we revitalise the broad global agenda on poverty, climate change, trade and bend every sinew of our will to making peace between Israel and Palestine, we will not win. And this is a battle we must win."
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