What we are confronting here is an evil ideology.On one hand, it sounds a bit like President Bush with some of its democracy promotion. On the other, Blair didn't call for the bombing of a specific target, he didn't say you are with us or you are against us, he didn't say we would take out state sponsors of terror, he didn't say a specific enemy would be taken dead or alive. Tony Blair just called for a battle of hearts and minds across cultures.
It is not a clash of civilisations - all civilised people, Muslim or other, feel revulsion at it. But it is a global struggle and it is a battle of ideas, hearts and minds, both within Islam and outside it.
...This is what we are up against. It cannot be beaten except by confronting it, symptoms and causes, head-on. Without compromise and without delusion.
...We must be clear about how we win this struggle. We should take what security measures we can. But let us not kid ourselves.
In the end, it is by the power of argument, debate, true religious faith and true legitimate politics that we will defeat this threat.
That means not just arguing against their terrorism, but their politics and their perversion of religious faith. It means exposing as the rubbish it is, the propaganda about America and its allies wanting to punish Muslims or eradicate Islam.
It means championing our values of freedom, tolerance and respect for others. It means explaining why the suppression of women and the disdain for democracy are wrong.
The idea that elected governments are the preserve of those of any other faith or culture is insulting and wrong. Muslims believe in democracy just as much as any other faith and, given the chance, show it.
After 9/11, President Bush called for action, and nobody doubted that he meant military. After 7/7, PM Blair called for action, but not so military focused. The differences are subtle, but they are there if you look for them.
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