Attacks on Iran must remain an option, say Tories

The Times, London


Politics

The Times
February 16, 2006

Attacks on Iran must remain an option, say Tories
By Rosemary Bennett, Deputy Political Editor


MILITARY strikes against Iran should not be ruled out, the
Conservatives said last night as they criticised Tony Blair for
failing to deal effectively with the looming nuclear threat.

Liam Fox, the Shadow Defence Secretary, used a speech to US
Republicans to urge Mr Blair to follow the example set by President
Bush and leave all options open on Iran.

Dr Fox was in Washington as part of a Conservative Party delegation
to patch up relations with the White House after a falling out two
years ago.

He told the right-wing Heritage Foundation that permitting a state in
the Middle East to develop a nuclear weapon was a risk that should
not be taken.

The diplomatic route must be pursued and Iran reported to the
Security Council, but military action should also be kept as an option.

Dr Fox said: “Every pressure must be brought. But it was wrong for
the European Union’s foreign affairs spokesman Xavier Solana to rule
out the use of force. It is wrong for Britain’s Foreign Secretary,
Jack Straw, to echo him.

“Frederick the Great once observed that diplomacy without arms was
like music without instruments. We must keep all options open if we
are to stand any chance of a diplomatic solution to the Iranian crisis.”

Dr Fox’s hawkish tone was in contrast to the repositioning of the
Conservatives as a centre- ground party. But the Conservatives
believe that Tony Blair, bruised by Iraq, has been too quick to rule
out force in what could be a much more dangerous international
situation.

The Shadow Defence Secretary also used his speech to challenge
President Bush over plans to scale back a commitment to the Anglo-
American Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) programme for a new generation of
military jet aircraft.

He warned that the move could undermine British confidence in the
“special relationship” with America.

“This particular programme is of great importance to Britain. We are
relying on the JSF variant for use on our planned new aircraft
carriers. But this variant may apparently be cancelled. Those two
supercarriers will be central to our ability to project our power and
to protect our interests. Large sacrifices have been made elsewhere
in the defence budget to afford them,” he said.

If the project is scaled back, Dr Fox said that the ramifications
would be profound. “Such an outcome would confirm in many people’s
minds the mistaken idea that America cannot be relied upon to support
us, even while calling upon our support to fight its wars.”

Dr Fox is in Washington with George Osborne, the Shadow Chancellor,
and William Hague, the Shadow Foreign Secretary, who flew out to join
them last night.

With David Cameron, the leader, on paternity leave for a fortnight,
David Davis finally achieved his lifelong ambition to run the
Conservative Party yesterday when he was made acting leader for 72
hours.

Mr Davis conducted yesterday morning’s strategy meeting while Mr
Hague prepared for Prime Minister’s Questions, opening the session
with a joke.

“I become leader at four o’clock and you’ll all be wearing ties by
five,” he told Mr Cameron’s casually-dressed team. Mr Davis will
remain as the acting leader until Mr Hague returns from the US on
Saturday.