Chinahand Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 I'm a bit too busy at the moment to fully think about this speech by Tony Blair (BBC summary here), but thought I'd start this thread on it to see what other people think. Off the top of my head I really do see the irony as Blair is probably the early 21st century's second most influential person (after George Bush, obviously) in causing Islamic radicalization, as a result of his policies alienating, radicalizing and arming vast populations in Iraq and beyond. I also think it is slightly ironic, that a high Catholic like Blair is flag waving against Islam - I can't imagine the Saudis welcoming it, and come on Blair surely you've read Clash of Civilizations (Huntington). I have to say I think the track record of ANY of the religions to have emerged from the Middle East in the last couple of Millenia or so is really really poor and if I was the Chinese I'd be really leery of siding with any of them, let alone Christianity - whether the bureaucratic authoritarianism of Blair's Catholicism, or the Evangelical rapture of Bush's Born-Again strain. Confucianism has worrying parallels with Catholicism - you could sort of imagine a Russian Orthodox Putin straddling Blair's anti-muslim alliance with a Christian West and a Confucian East ... shudders. I'd rather try and marry Greek and Enlightenment thought with the Daoism of Zhuangzi. Both ideas are self aware enough of the dangers of dogmatism and authoritarianism and have at their core human fallibility. Sure Islamic Radicalism is dangerous, but so is authoritarian Christianity - just look at Putin's Russia, the American Bible Belt and the uglier sides of Catholicisms bulwarks. Blair needs some self awareness if you ask me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alibaba Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 It's like swapping the war from Eurasia to Eastasia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolley Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 I reckon Putin would go along with the sentiment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolley Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 Blair needs some self awareness if you ask me! I don't think I'd wish that on anyone. Not even the man himself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truth Seeker Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 Blair has done more than anyone to incite radical Islam, he seems to lack any self awareness, could this be because he is a psychopath/sociopath? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chinahand Posted April 23, 2014 Author Share Posted April 23, 2014 Probably no more than you are ... erm ... ironies in ironies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolley Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 Blair has done more than anyone to incite radical Islam, he seems to lack any self awareness, could this be because he is a psychopath/sociopath? And they made him Peace Envoy to the Middle East on behalf of the major powers. He really could crawl under a rattlesnake wearing a top hat couldn't he? Mind you, I don't reckon radical Islam needs a lot of inciting. If you are convinced you are going to paradise for 74 prime virgins if you blow yourself and your bollocks to kingdom come how is reason going to stop you? It's a medieval thought process. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donald Trumps Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 Proper idea would be to join forces against radicalism & intolerance in all it's forms Which side would Putin be on? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truth Seeker Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 Blair has done more than anyone to incite radical Islam, he seems to lack any self awareness, could this be because he is a psychopath/sociopath? And they made him Peace Envoy to the Middle East on behalf of the major powers. He really could crawl under a rattlesnake wearing a top hat couldn't he? Mind you, I don't reckon radical Islam needs a lot of inciting. If you are convinced you are going to paradise for 74 prime virgins if you blow yourself and your bollocks to kingdom come how is reason going to stop you? It's a medieval thought process. Yes I had forgotten Blair was the Middle East Peace Envoy, just like Bush going on a Speaking Tour after he left the White House. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Addie Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 This creature should be banged up and not pontificating. Pseudo religious, deceptive, a stranger to the truth when it suits, selling our armed forces for his ends. Oh what a lovely war he had. He preens, poses, pimps and pontificates and seems to forget how many lives and injuries he should have on his conscience. When I see his son get off his fat rear and put his lifeon the line, as the the ordinary folk, and the young royals, I may listen to his opinion for a nanosecond - or I may not. I absolutely despise him. edited to add a word Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alibaba Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shake me up Judy Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 I'm no fan of Blair, but don't you think you're making a bit of an exaggeration here ? I'd say you were talking bollocks. Radical Islam doesn't need Tony Blair; it preceeded him, and would be little different today had Blair stuck to the law game and not gone into politics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quilp Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 I'm no fan of Blair, but don't you think you're making a bit of an exaggeration here ? I'd say you were talking bollocks. Radical Islam doesn't need Tony Blair; it preceeded him, and would be little different today had Blair stuck to the law game and not gone into politics. I'd agree with your sentiments, SMUJ. Islamic supremacist ideology has been around for a lot longer than Bush or Blair. However, Western 'aggression' has inflamed the hatred felt by radical-fundamentalists who will see Jews, Israel and their puppets, at the heart of this. Today, we see 'Fatah', 'Hamas' and 'Islamic Jihad' apparently resolving their differences, to form an alliance in that area, under the PLO umbrella which can only mean a surge in their determination to establish their claims, thus further, inevitable conflict. As far as Blair's pronouncement goes, any warning against the aims of radical islam and the consequences of ignoring the signs can only be for the good. It brings the subject, and the challenge faced by the West, once more out into the open. His message will find agreement within those sections of the indigenous populations of the UK and Europe who've seen their cultures threatened by a divisive ideology intent on having things its way. Look at Malaysia and other countries, tied to the flag of islam and how fundamentalism and radicalisation is on the rise with the increasing adherence to sharia-based law. Even in the UK, the system of sharia is being given more and more accommodation (meaning greater acceptance of), with recent guidelines given to lawyers regarding marriage, estate and divorce. But that's another subject.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolley Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 Many good books on the subject. "Londonistan" by Melanie Phillips and "While Europe Slept" by Bruce Bawer are but two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Peters Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 'The Second Coming' by John Niven is a VERY funny book that I enjoyed tremendously. In one conversation (I think between Jesus and God over a spliff in heaven) God remarks that Moses had built up his part on coming back down the mountain - the only actual commandment had been 'Be Nice'. How can we convince billions of people that the world would be quite wonderful if we all adopted that as our starting point. That's the problem - we'd all have to agree to it, otherwise the meek (and nice) would inherit fuck all as was ever thus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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