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| Benn criticises 'war on terror' | |
| (about 6 hours later) | |
| President George W Bush's concept of a "war on terror" has given strength to terrorists by making them feel part of something bigger, Hilary Benn has said. | |
| The international development secretary told a meeting in New York the phrase gives a shared identity to small groups with widely differing aims. | |
| And Mr Benn, a candidate for Labour's deputy leadership, confirm that UK officials would stop using the term. | |
| The White House coined the phrase after the attacks of 11 September 2001. | The White House coined the phrase after the attacks of 11 September 2001. |
| 'Disparate groups' | 'Disparate groups' |
| Mr Benn said: "In the UK, we do not use the phrase 'war on terror' because we can't win by military means alone. | |
| "And because this isn't us against one organised enemy with a clear identity and a coherent set of objectives." | "And because this isn't us against one organised enemy with a clear identity and a coherent set of objectives." |
| By letting them feel part of something bigger, we give them strength Hilary Benn class="" href="/1/hi/uk_politics/6560389.stm">Key quotes from speech | |
| It is "the vast majority of the people in the world" against "a small number of loose, shifting and disparate groups who have relatively little in common", he said. | |
| "What these groups want is to force their individual and narrow values on others, without dialogue, without debate, through violence. | "What these groups want is to force their individual and narrow values on others, without dialogue, without debate, through violence. |
| "And by letting them feel part of something bigger, we give them strength." | "And by letting them feel part of something bigger, we give them strength." |
| 'Battle of values' | 'Battle of values' |
| In a New York meeting organised by the Center on International Cooperation think-tank, Mr Benn will urge world leaders to find common ground with potential enemies, rather than relying on "hard" military power. | In a New York meeting organised by the Center on International Cooperation think-tank, Mr Benn will urge world leaders to find common ground with potential enemies, rather than relying on "hard" military power. |
| "The fight for the kind of world that most people want can, in the end, only be won in a different battle - a battle of values and ideas." | "The fight for the kind of world that most people want can, in the end, only be won in a different battle - a battle of values and ideas." |
| Mr Bush first outlined the concept of a "war on terror" shortly after New York and the Pentagon were attacked by Islamist terror group al-Qaeda on 11 September 2001. | Mr Bush first outlined the concept of a "war on terror" shortly after New York and the Pentagon were attacked by Islamist terror group al-Qaeda on 11 September 2001. |
| "Our war on terror begins with al-Qaeda, but it does not end there," he told Congress nine days after the attacks. | "Our war on terror begins with al-Qaeda, but it does not end there," he told Congress nine days after the attacks. |
| "It will not end until every terrorist group of global reach has been found, stopped and defeated." | "It will not end until every terrorist group of global reach has been found, stopped and defeated." |
| Downing Street refused to be drawn on the contents of Mr Benn's speech. | |
| The prime minister's official spokesman said Tony Blair "has always made clear we believe in fighting terrorism not just by military means but by political means as well". | |
| Asked about using the phrase "war on terror," he said: "We all use our own phraseology." |