U.K. Armed-Forces Head Says Islamic Extremism Can’t Be Defeated
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The head of the U.K. armed forces, General David Richards, said al-Qaeda and Islamic extremism can’t be defeated, though their impact can be contained.
“I don’t think you can probably defeat an idea; it’s something we need to battle back against as necessary, but in its milder forms why shouldn’t they be allowed to have that sort of philosophy underpinning their lives,” Richards told BBC television’s “Andrew Marr Show” today. “It’s how it manifests itself that is the key and can we contain that manifestation? And quite clearly al-Qaeda is an unacceptable manifestation.”