The sense of frustration at the injustice faced by Muslims across the world as a consequence of the foreign policies of the West (principally the US) is palpable. Mr Blair's refusal to call for an immediate ceasefire in response to the current war in Lebanon only reinforces the view held by more than half of British Muslims that the war on terror is a war on Islam.In an increasingly globalised world, a bungled police raid in Forest Gate causes reverberations on the "Arab Street" just as the bombing of Qana leads to resentment in Bradford. The sense of the plight of the "ummah" (the global body of Muslims) simply grows stronger.
There is no doubt that all British Muslims, not just their self-proclaimed leaders, must to do more to combat intolerance in their midst. That task is made more difficult when, despite all the mass protests against the war in Iraq, the Govern-ment is seen not to have listened.
Mr Blair may justifiably argue that Muslims will always see the glass as half-empty. He did, after all, call for the intervention in Kosovo to save Muslim lives. However, the Govern-ment must recognise the anger that its foreign policies arouse.
There is much talk of strengthening the moderates and rooting out extremists, but policy makers should be aware of how rapidly the moderates are becoming frustrated. The disturbing reality is that as their frustration grows, so will the fringe prepared to resort to violence.
• Ali Miraj is a Board Member of the Conservative Party Policy Review on International and National Security