Tony Blair outlines a seven-point strategy for defeating religious extremism

As world leaders spin their wheels on what to do about religious extremism, more and more public figures are voicing their own personal strategy opinions. Among them is former U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair, who on Monday outlined on his website a seven-point strategy for countering religious extremism — despite being roundly criticized for joining America's controversial invasion of Iraq in 2003.

In his treatise, titled "The Way Ahead," Blair first emphatically denounces "radical Islamism," defining the problem as "deep" and "the work of a generation not an election cycle." He also repeatedly emphasizes the need for a broad coalition against such extremism, lauding U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry for "putting together a formidable array of allies" and making clear that "this is 'our' challenge and not simply 'theirs.'"

Blair is careful to draw a distinction between the radical Islamism of which he speaks and of the religion Islam, which he says focuses on "compassion and mercy." This ties into what he calls the "spectrum" of Islam — and he defines the crux of the issue as such:

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Sign up

Read Blair's full essay at his website.