Tony Blair: don't rule out the use of ground troops in Iraq

Former Prime Minister Tony Blair has urged the government not to rule out sending ground troops to Iraq and Syria to fight against Islamic State militants.

Blair, whose tenure as PM was defined by the Iraq invasion in 2003, said that while Western leaders had "no appetite for ground engagement", it might be necessary to defeat the terrorist organisation. He also said people should "appreciate" the lessons he had learnt by going to war in Iraq.

"Unless you're prepared to fight these people on the ground, you may contain them but you won't defeat them," he told the BBC.

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His views were echoed by Lieutenant General Sir Graeme Lamb, a former director of British special forces, who said it is now time for the government to "rule in" the idea of British boots on the ground in Iraq, the Daily Telegraph reports.

In an essay published on the Tony Blair Faith Foundation website, the former Labour leader outlines points that he believes should underpin the UK's policy towards religious extremism in the Middle East.

"There can be an abundance of diplomacy, all necessary relief of humanitarian suffering, every conceivable statement of condemnation which we can muster," writes Blair, "but unless they're accompanied by physical combat, we will mitigate the problem but not overcome it."

Blair's statement comes just days after Barack Obama's chief military advisor said US troops could return to Iraq.

While the UK remains committed to arming Kurdish forces as well as delivering humanitarian aid and has not ruled out joining US air strikes, David Cameron, like Obama, has made it clear that he does not want to get involved in another ground war in the country.

On Wednesday, Cameron will attend a UN Security Council meeting in New York, where he is expected to outline details of Britain's contribution to the fight against Islamic State.