Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Tony Blair offered an optimistic glimpse into the future of the tumultuous Middle East yesterday, calling upon the international community to unlock tensions there primarily by allaying the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Blair, currently the envoy to the region for the Quartet, which is composed of the United States, Russia, the United Nations and the European Union, repeatedly highlighted the need for a multilateral approach. And in declaring an end to Western supremacy, he insisted that countries move beyond short-sighted, self-centered policies.
"I tell you this from the bottom of my heart and from everything I've learned in the past 15 months," Blair told the crowd in the packed Gantcher Center. "Resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is the single most important thing we can do. Nothing is more important, nothing is more urgent and nothing should stand in our way."
For Blair, the solution needs to involve a cross-section of the international community.
"The global alliances that we have are absolutely critical in determining the nature of the world that we live in," he said. "We need to understand that global alliances matter, and what they need is global institutions. And that's why the narrow view of foreign policy conducted accordingly to self-interest no longer works."
Blair spoke as part of the Issam M. Fares Lecture Series, which brings experts in Middle Eastern affairs to campus on a semi-regular basis. Past speakers include Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former U.S. President George H.W. Bush.
In his address, Blair called the challenge reconciling Islam and Western ideals "a struggle that is taking place in many different arenas." The former prime minister said that in order to achieve the best outcomes for both sides, all parties must be mindful of their intertwined futures.
"Both of us, Islam and the West, can live in peaceful coexistence [if] we learn that it is our destiny to succeed or fail together," Blair said. "Do you respond to globalization together or apart? Can Islam have its reformation and let its civilization flourish in the 21st century? Can we in the West understand the days of supremacy are over and that the world will flourish from partnership or it will fail?
"This is a challenge of fundamental importance, and how we combat it will determine the future of the region and the future of the world," Blair added. "It is not a battle that can be won simply by military means."
Blair reiterated continuously throughout the speech that the first step in solving issues between the West and the Middle East is to address the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Drawing upon his experience as prime minister during the peace talks in Northern Ireland, Blair said that with the right tactics, the conflict is solvable.
"In Northern Ireland, we found a way for people to manage their disagreements," he said. "It was one of the most heartening and surprising things when you see people who used to be enemies sitting down together in a room and … ready to work."
Blair believes these same problem-solving tactics could be applied to the conflict between Israel and Palestine, so long as a dialogue between both groups ensues.
More specifically, he called for reforms in the West Bank and a "different and better approach to Gaza.
"It should be [our aim] to harm extremists and help the people of Gaza, but I fear that it may be the other way around," he said. "We have to offer them the genuine prospect of unity, but on the right terms and on the terms of a general two-state solution.
"It can be done, but it has to be done," Blair said, adding that during his time in the region, he "felt the tension rising."
In a momentary departure from the Middle East, Blair spoke about his interest in Africa, an interest he argued is both humanitarian and based on a desire to contain conflicts in
dangerous regions.
"To me, dealing with Africa is not just a moral cause, but is an act of enlightened self-interest," he said. "If you look at Sudan and Somalia, their conflicts are beginning to spread out and be exported to the outside of their countries."
Blair said that problems like those in Somalia and Sudan are apparent in several countries. He warned the audience that, if not monitored, regional conflicts can spread well beyond their geographical boundaries.
"This is one struggle that is taking place in many different arenas. The impact of the conflict is felt most by the people engaged in it, but its impact goes far wider," he said. "People understand that it is important to reach beyond the confines of a strip of land."
Throughout his speech, Blair returned to themes regarding global interdependence and a need for countries to work together.
"The term ‘global community' is a cliché because it's true," Blair said. "Whether you take the conflict in the Middle East or you take climate change or the current economic crisis, if you look at any challenge we face today, each is global and requires a global response. In no case is a country, even one as powerful as America, able to handle them alone.
"The question is: Do we make that coming together work?" Blair asked. "Or do we make that coming together a source of friction and division and difficulty that leads to a coming apart?"
Following Blair's speech, Bacow read aloud questions that were pre-written by Tufts students.
One student asked Blair if he could publicly say that he had cause to invade Iraq during his time in office. The former prime minister cautiously defended his controversial support for the decision.
"All I want to say is that we got Saddam [Hussein] in … 2003, and since then, we've been fighting a different battle," he said. "But even though it's been difficult and bloody, I still think it would've been worse if [Hussein] and his two sons were running Iraq."
Blair's presentation also featured several light moments. During the question-and-answer session, Blair talked about how living in a fast-paced world can create new dilemmas.
"Everyone is faced with challenges in this fast-moving world," he said. "For example, I've got a BlackBerry and a mobile phone, and I didn't even have one when I was a prime minister."
At that moment, Bacow, who was on stage with Blair, interjected, "I'd sure like to get rid of mine." Blair responded, "Yes, but for me it's really exciting."
Another student asked Blair if he had any regrets during his time as prime minister. Smiling, Blair responded, "Yes, plenty, but I'd say that that's for me to know and for you guys to find out."
Although scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m., the speech did not start until about 6 because Blair's plane was delayed following substantial snowfall in London. Blair joked about the blizzard, which brought the most snow the city has seen in 18 years.
"I have never seen London like that. Everything was shut down," Blair said. "The only thing depressing is coming here and seeing that your snow looks worse, and yet you all seem to be functioning much better."
Blair's remarks were well-received by Tufts students, many of whom appreciated his optimistic outlook. "I think it was really thoughtful the way he spoke, very witty," sophomore Yamila Irizarry-Gerould said. "If he has that vision for the region, then I'm glad he's leading the Quartet."
"It was uplifting in a time of more depressing circumstances," sophomore Henry Rea said.
Still, even those impressed with the tone of the speech often said they would have liked to have heard more details.
"It was nothing we haven't heard before really, especially here at Tufts," Irizarry-Gerould said.
And while some students also quipped that his responses to student questions, particularly the one concerning his justification for invading Iraq, skirted the main issues, others felt he handled them adequately.
"He basically said, ‘I published the intelligence that I got before I made the decision to go there; look at it online,'" freshman Brittany Chait said. "You can put yourself in his shoes and ask yourself why we actually did it as opposed to always saying we shouldn't have."
Ben Gittleson contributed reporting to this article.
