Yahoo News Blair Warns Of 'Growing' Radical Islam Threat
Former prime minister Tony Blair has told Sky News the West must work with countries like Russia and China to combat the growing threat of radical Islam.
The ex-Labour leader also stressed the importance of taking sides in what he described as a "war", and warned there were consequences to not intervening.
Earlier, in a speech in London, he said the crisis in Ukraine had pushed the situations in the Middle East off the agenda, despite the chaos in the region.
The Middle East envoy branded the turmoil in Syria "an unmitigated disaster" and pressed for an agreement to be reached with President Bashar al Assad, "repugnant though it may seem".
And Mr Blair called for further Nato involvement in Libya, warning the country's disintegration would threaten to destabilise the entire region.
He argued the root of the crisis lay in "a radicalised and politicised view of Islam".
Stressing the need to engage in the Middle East, he said: "The threat of this radical Islam is not abating. It is growing. It is spreading across the world.
"It is destabilising communities and even nations. It is undermining the possibility of peaceful co-existence in an era of globalisation."
Speaking to Sky News, Mr Blair said: "This rising threat of Islamism is a threat that we share in common - West and East.
"Whatever our differences on Ukraine and indeed other issues, it's very important on this particular issue given the turmoil that is happening in the Middle East at the moment, that we work with those that share a common interest in defeating Islamism.
"But none of that should alter in any way our position on the Ukraine."
Mr Blair also argued the case for intervention in Syria, which he said was a "country in disintegration".
He told Sky News: "Yes, I still believe that it is necessary, if we have to, to get to the negotiating table, to be prepared to create some sort of no-fly zone, some sort of area of Syria that is protected for the opposition."
"It's important we take sides. Just as there is a cost to intervention, there is a cost to non-intervention.
"I understand why our public wants to stay out of all this, doesn't want anything to do with it, but I am afraid this battle is real, it's continuing now, and it's not possible just to stand aside from it.
"In this battle we shouldn't be neutral. We should be taking a side."
In his earlier speech, Mr Blair had concluded: "This is not a conventional war. It isn't a struggle between super powers or over territory. But it is real. It is fearsome in its impact. It is growing in its reach.
"Engagement does not always mean military involvement. Commitment does not mean going it alone. But it does mean stirring ourselves. It does mean seeing the struggle for what it is. It does mean taking a side and sticking with it."
