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Britain
Beckett rejects link between foreign policy and terrorism
2006-08-13
Ministers hit back yesterday at accusations from leading Muslims, including three Labour MPs, that Britain's Middle East policy was increasing the threat of terrorist attacks.

One of the strongest responses came from the Foreign Office Minister Kim Howells, who last month became the first member of the government publicly to criticise Israeli military tactics in Lebanon. The accusations were 'idiotic' 'facile' and 'dangerous', he said. 'I have no doubt that there are many issues which incite people to loathe government policies - but not to strap explosives to themselves and go out and murder innocent people.'

The Transport Secretary, Douglas Alexander, who alongside the Home Secretary, John Reid, has taken the lead in responding to last week's alleged plot to blow up a number of planes, denounced the suggestion as 'dangerous and foolish'.

Responding to an open letter which was signed by the MPs, three Muslim members of the House of Lords and nearly 40 Muslim community organisations, he pointed out that terrorists had targeted countries with a range of foreign policies. He said: 'No government worth its salt should allow its foreign policy to be dictated to under the threat of terrorism.'

Earlier, the Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett told the BBC that drawing a link between government policy and the terror threat would be the 'gravest possible error'. She said such suggestions were 'part of a distorted view of the world, a distorted view of life. Let's put the blame where it belongs: with people who wantonly want to take innocent lives.'
Nothing like a near-hit terror attack at home to focus ministers' attention.
The Prime Minister, in a statement which was issued by Downing Street while he remained on holiday, said: 'We should always remember that the terrorism affecting the West today has blighted Muslim countries for several decades.'

He said it had long preceded Britain's part in the American-led invasion of Iraq - one of the issues raised in the Muslim leaders' letter, which was published as an advert in several newspapers.

The Prime Minister added that he would be willing to meet representatives of the signatories on his return.
He should meet with them long enough to tell them what was said in this article, and then show them the door.
The protest letter singled out 'the debacle of Iraq and the failure to do more to secure an immediate end to the attacks on civilians in the Middle East' as providing 'ammunition to extremists that threaten us all.' It said: 'We urge the Prime Minister to redouble his efforts to tackle terror and extremism and change our foreign policy to show the world that we value the lives of civilians wherever they live and whatever their religion.'

The letter concluded: 'Such a move would make us all safer.'

Three of the four Muslim MPs - Sadiq Khan, Shahid Malik and Mohammed Sarwar - signed the protest. So did three of the four Muslim members of the House of Lords - Lords Patel of Blackburn and Ahmed of Rotherham and Baroness Uddin. The controversy over the protest letter came on the eve of a government initiative to widen consultations with Muslim communities.
Posted by:lotp

#4  'No government worth its salt should allow its foreign policy to be dictated to under the threat of terrorism.'

I hope Bush is listening. His advice to Israel doesn't seem to indicte this. I hope I'm wrong.
Posted by: Zenster   2006-08-13 17:54  

#3  Hep us kill Jooooooos and all will be happiness.
Posted by: 6   2006-08-13 10:34  

#2  Now your fifth column Muzzies have put it in writing right in front of your eyes. More beligerent every day. Charge them with treason and put them in the Tower. Meanwhile, in Dearborn, they're marching in our streets supporting Hezbollocks. We should demonstrate to them what TienemanSquare was all about.
Posted by: SOP35/Rat   2006-08-13 01:29  

#1  "We muslims tried to 3,000 of you and it's YOUR fault infidel."
Posted by: ed   2006-08-13 00:23  

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