Blair: Several hundred British jihadists joining ISIL

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair said on Sunday he agrees with President Barack Obama’s strategy is dealing with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

“The president is absolutely right to take on [ISIL] and to build the broadest possible coalition. He and Secretary [of State John] Kerry have put together about 50 countries now in this coalition,” Blair said on CNN’ s “State of the Union.” “We’ve got absolutely no choice but to do this and not just in order to destroy the onward march of [ISIL] but to send a very strong signal to the other terrorist groups operating in the region. We intend to take action and see it though.”

He said that he sees the strategy evolving over time and that whatever is needed to destroy ISIL will be done by the United States and involved countries.

“I think there will end up being a need over time to hit [ISIL] in an aerial campaign as well as on the ground,” he said.

Blair added there are several hundred British jihadists joining ISIL, but emphasized that Britain is not the only European country.

“Most European countries also have foreign fighters there,” he said. “These are a small number of people and the broad Muslim community in the UK would be horrified and appalled by this and condemn it completely.” /End/