A Battle for Global Values

By Tony Blair, PM of U.K.

 

Summary: The war on terrorism is not just about security or military tactics. It is a battle of values, and one that can only be won by the triumph of tolerance and liberty. Afghanistan and Iraq have been the necessary starting points of this battle. Success there, however, must be coupled with a bolder, more consistent, and more thorough application of global values, with Washington leading the way.

 

 

THE ROOTS OF EXTREMISM

  1. What does the author suggest we need to win the war on global extremism?
  2. The Koran is described as inclusive and ahead of its time but what happened to the Arab world at the time of the Renaissance and Reformation?
  3. Why would the late 1990s movement be unwise to fight within Islam? And who was the enemy that extremists adopted?  

 

THE NATURE OF THE STRUGGLE

  1. Should the West be blamed for the failure in Iraq and Afghanistan? Describe the ideology most Westerners have.

 

TWO FRONTS

  1. Is Afghan and Iraqi society willing to accept democracy?
  2. What sort of reactionary elements are used to fight against the spread of democracy in the Arab world?
  3. According to the author, was Iraq a threat? What has been achieved by going into Iraq?

 

THE BATTLE FOR HEARTS AND MINDS

  1. “If we want to secure our way of life, there is no alternative but to fight for it,” explain what the author means by this.
  2. What is the danger with the United States today?

 

BEYOND SECURITY

  1. What is the divide between hard and soft politics?
  2. Why are our global values the answer to our various problems like poverty, terrorism etc.?