Tony Blair accused of wasting taxpayers' money on war on terror

London, Nov 20 (UNI) British Prime Minister Tony Blair faces accusations that he is wasting nearly seven billion pounds of taxpayers' money on a failing war on terror after announcing massive sums of British aid to Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

In the last three days, Mr Blair and Chancellor to the Treasury Gordon Brown, have promised special funding to the three countries totalling 844 million pounds.

The estimated cost to British taxpayers for the Iraq war so far is 5 billion pounds, and 1 billion pounds on deployment in Afghanistan.

On a visit to Pakistan yesterday to discuss anti-terror policy with President Pervez Musharraf, Mr Blair raised assistance to the country from 236 million pounds over the next three years to 480 million pounds. The extra money will go mainly towards encouraging moderate Muslim education in the network of Madrassa religious schools, which are blamed for turning many young people to extremism.

Mr Blair will today highlight the fact that 500 million pounds is being pumped by Britain into the redevelopment of Afghanistan. Mr Brown, on his first visit to Iraq at the weekend, announced 100 million pounds worth of reconstruction aid.

Last night, the Tories, Liberal Democrats and Labour MPs attacked the Government over the cost of its strategy. David Davies, Tory MP for Monmouth, launched a scathing attack on the Prime Minister's decision to spend hundreds of millions of pounds on the religious schools in Pakistan.

''He does not seem to have grasped the fact that these people are not motivated by money. They are motivated by extremist religious ideology,'' he said.

John McDonnell, the Left-wing MP challenging for the Labour leadership, said: ''It's a disgraceful waste of resources killing people when at the same time, we are facing an NHS budget crisis. No amount of money here on in will assist in resolving the situation.'' However, Hilary Benn, the International Development Secretary, said it was in the interests of the West to see Pakistani children well-educated, because they were then less likely to be seduced by the appeals of extremists.

Mr Blair's official spokesman insisted that Britain had always adopted a 'twin-track' approach to Afghanistan, pursuing security alongside reconstruction.

Government sources said the money for Afghanistan and Iraq was from funds put aside in the budget for international development. The 500 million pounds for Afghanistan had been pledged previously but was now 'being delivered'.

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