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Tony Blair: Iraq War made UK 'hesitant' over Syria intervention Tony Blair: Iraq War made UK 'hesitant' over Syria intervention
(about 3 hours later)
Protracted difficulties following the invasion of Iraq made the UK "hesitant" to intervene in Syria, former Prime Minister Tony Blair has said. Tony Blair has said the aftermath of the invasion of Iraq has made the UK "hesitant" to intervene in Syria.
In a BBC interview, Mr Blair played down the influence of the failure to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq on the UK Parliament's decision to block military action in Syria. It was not that MPs did not trust the government's assessment of the threat posed by Syria, as chemical weapon use had been proved, he said.
Iraq had shown that interventions can be "very difficult", he conceded. The former prime minister added he was disappointed the UK would not be taking part in military action.
But Syria, left unchecked, could become a potent source of extremists, he said. And he "disagreed" with Labour leader Ed Miliband, who helped defeat the government in a Commons vote last week.
Mr Blair, Middle East envoy for the Quartet of the United Nations, United States, European Union and Russia, warned that without foreign intervention, "you will have an Assad-dominated state, and that means in this instance an Iran-dominated state, probably around the borders of Lebanon and controlling most of the wealth of Syria. BBC political editor Nick Robinson said this was the first time Mr Blair had criticised Mr Miliband, at a time when Labour's strategy on Syria had been under growing scrutiny.
"And then you'll have a larger geographical hinterland to the east that will be controlled by various Sunni groups, most of whom are likely in these circumstances to be extreme, and you could have a breeding ground for extremism actually much worse and much more potent than Afghanistan." 'Difficult position'
There was no question that chemical weapons had been used in Syria, he suggested, so UK MPs had not voted against intervention because they did not trust the government's assessment of the threat Syria poses. Former cabinet minister Ben Bradshaw has said many Labour MPs felt "uneasy" that Britain's options had been limited after last week's vote.
'Rush to war' Writing in the Guardian, the former culture secretary said he blamed David Cameron for "petulantly" ruling out direct intervention immediately after losing the vote.
He said: "It is an issue to do with the difficulty we encounter afterwards, and that is a really really important lesson. But he also expressed alarm that Mr Miliband was following the prime minister's lead rather than taking a "sensible and measured approach".
"The truth is, the reason why Iraq makes us hesitant is because Iraq showed that when you intervene in the circumstances, where you have this radical Islamist issue, both on the Shia side and the Sunni side, you are going to face a very difficult, tough conflict." Mr Blair told BBC News: "This is something where I just have to disagree with the leadership of the party.
There is a "fundamental battle about religion and politics within Islam", he continued, which "has vast consequences for our future security". "I know it's a difficult position for political leaders to be put in when they've got to take decisions like this, but my position on these issues is pretty clear over a long period of time."
The UK and the US should support "the majority of people in the Muslim world in fact want religion in a sensible place in politics, not trying to dominate politics", he said. Mr Miliband, whose decision to distance himself from the Iraq war helped win him the Labour leadership in 2010 did not rule out military action ahead of last Thursday's vote but instead cautioned against a "rush to war on an ill-thought through basis, not working with the international community, not going through the UN".
Fresh aid pledge
Mr Blair's comments come as Prime Minister David Cameron announced a further £52m in UK aid for victims of the civil war in Syria.
It will bring the UK's total spending on aid for Syria and neighbouring states to £400m.
Much of the extra money will go towards medical training and equipment to help those targeted by chemical attacks.
Speaking at the G20 meeting in St Petersburg, Mr Cameron said that the move would show "a very large message" of support for the people of Syria.
The Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government has been accused of using chemical weapons against civilians on several occasions during the 30-month conflict.
Some 100,000 people have died in the conflict, and more than two million Syrians are classified as refugees, according to the UN.
In a Commons vote last week, MPs rejected UK involvement in military action against the Assad regime.
Mr Cameron had advocated limited military strikes to deter further "large-scale use of chemical weapons".
Opposition leader Ed Miliband had cautioned against a "rush to war on an ill-thought through basis, not working with the international community, not going through the UN".
He added: "We must learn the lessons of Iraq about any action we take."He added: "We must learn the lessons of Iraq about any action we take."
Former Lib Dem leader Lord Ashdown said after the vote: "People invented all sorts of reasons not to get involved with an international coalition led by a Democrat president of the United States to stand up for international law. 'Beyond doubt'
"I think it diminishes our country hugely." Mr Cameron also invoked Iraq as he tried to convince MPs to back military action, saying: "The well of public opinion has been well and truly poisoned by the Iraq episode."
But, echoing Mr Blair, he repeatedly told MPs Syria was not like Iraq, because "the fact that the Syrian government have, and have used, chemical weapons is beyond doubt".
Explaining his reasons for backing military action, Mr Blair said not acting in Syria would be "dangerous" as it would "send a signal" that chemical weapons could be used without a "robust response".
Without foreign intervention, he warned "you will have a [President Bashar al-]Assad-dominated state, and that means in this instance an Iran-dominated state, probably around the borders of Lebanon and controlling most of the wealth of Syria".
"And then you'll have a larger geographical hinterland to the east that will be controlled by various Sunni [Muslim] groups, most of whom are likely in these circumstances to be extreme, and you could have a breeding ground for extremism actually much worse and much more potent than Afghanistan."
'Fundamental battle'
He added: "It is an issue to do with the difficulty we encounter afterwards, and that is a really really important lesson.
"The truth is, the reason why Iraq makes us hesitant is because Iraq showed that when you intervene in the circumstances, where you have this radical Islamist issue, both on the Shia [Muslim] side and the Sunni side, you are going to face a very difficult, tough conflict."
There was a "fundamental battle about religion and politics within Islam", he said, which "has vast consequences for our future security".
The UK and the US should support "the majority of people in the Muslim world [who] in fact want religion in a sensible place in politics, not trying to dominate politics", he said.
Mr Blair, now Middle East envoy for the Quartet of the United Nations, the United States, the European Union and Russia, said the Commons vote would have an impact on US-UK relations.
"What the long-term implications of that are depends on future actions," he said.
'Public disquiet'
Former Lib Dem leader Sir Menzies Campbell, who opposed the Iraq war in 2003, said Mr Blair's analysis.
"Mr Blair's contention that public disquiet in the UK in relation to military action against Iraq can be put down to the aftermath of military action is undermined by three facts.
"First, the military action was justified on the basis that Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction which were a danger to the UK, which was just plain wrong.
"Second, that the war against Saddam Hussein was illegal and contrary to the UN charter.
"Third, that the intelligence presented to Parliament and public was couched in such a way as to fit our policy decision already taken wholly contrary to principle.
"The aftermath certainly didn't help public perception but it was not the only compelling reason for public disillusionment."
It comes as David Cameron announced a further £52m in UK aid for victims of the civil war in Syria.
It will bring the UK's total spending on aid for Syria and neighbouring states to £400m.
What Syria means for Britain will be broadcast on Monday evening at 20:00 on BBC Radio 4.What Syria means for Britain will be broadcast on Monday evening at 20:00 on BBC Radio 4.