(RNS) American diplomacy must be accompanied by a defeat of religious extremism in the Muslim world, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair said in Chicago on Wednesday (April 22).

Speaking at a forum sponsored by The Chicago Council on Global Affairs, Blair pointed out the shortcomings of peaceful negotiation.

“President Obama’s reaching out to the Muslim world at the start of a new American administration is welcome, smart, and can play a big part in defeating the threat we face,” he said. “But it will expose, too, the delusion of believing that there is any alternative to waging this struggle to its conclusion.”

Blair said negotiation may solve short-term political issues, but the world must be prepared to fight deep-rooted religious extremism.

He also stressed that backing down to small conflicts could lead to larger defeats and urged peace-seeking citizens to continue the fight against extreme ideologies. In particular, he encouraged Islamic religious leaders to critique religious error within the Muslim community and to begin working for peace from inside the faith.

Blair backed his call for action by describing the goals and initiatives of the Tony Blair Faith Foundation and its newly created Interfaith Youth Core (IFYC), a Chicago-based interfaith group of 30 young people. Blair said by working together, the world and its religions could be a part of progress.

“People understand (the conflict) is in part cultural — it’s not just political,” he said. “It therefore requires a far greater degree of action and understanding than anything we’ve faced before.”