Thank You, Prime Minister Blair

Despite his own political woes, despite everything else that is happening in the world, Tony Blair remains one of the most reliable allies this country has ever had. He came out today with a message that blasts European anti-Americanism as madness.

Blair, U.S. President George W. Bush's closest ally in the so-called war on terror, said the world urgently needs the United States to help tackle the globe's most pressing problems.

"The danger is if they decide to pull up the drawbridge and disengage. We need them involved," Blair said, spelling out his political vision in a pamphlet published by The Foreign Policy Center think-tank.

"The strain of, frankly, anti-American feeling in parts of European politics is madness when set against the long-term interests of the world we believe in," he said.

Blair, accused by critics of being Bush's poodle who slavishly follows Washington's line, sought to stifle a revolt in his ruling Labour Party last week by promising to quit within a year after almost 10 years in office.

His popularity has tumbled in opinion polls after government scandals over sleaze and mismanagement were compounded by controversy over the wars in Iraq and Lebanon.

As he did during the Iraq War, he sided squarely with Washington over the conflict between Israel and Hizbollah guerrillas, angering Arab nations and European allies by refusing to call for an immediate ceasefire.

Responding to those who have criticized the White House, Blair said in his pamphlet: "The danger with America today is not that they are too much involved."

"We want them engaged. The reality is that none of the problems that press in on us can be resolved or even contemplated without them," he added.

Laying out his vision for countering extremists, he said: "We need to construct an alliance of moderation that paints a future in which Muslim, Jew and Christian, Arab and Western, wealthy and developing nations can make progress in peace and harmony with each other."

Poodle? No, Chirac is a poodle. All show and no go. No, Blair is a pit bull defending Western civilization. Not America; Western civilization. It would be long past time for the rest of Europe to understand that. Thank you, Prime Minister Blair for standing fast.

UPDATE: Bruce Kesler also notes Blair's pamphlet and sees it as the one bright spot in an otherwise deteriorating situation in the world as the forces of disarray emerge everywhere.

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  By Beachhutman, Thursday, 14 September , 2006 @ 3:04 pm

  Sorry, but Blair lied to us. Not only about Iraq, but most seriously about Iraq. He lied to Parliament, lied when he didn’t even have to. That’s why the Brits don’t like him. On Iraq, with his majority, he could still have taken us to war, and possibly won honour, and esteem. But he lied. It is the greatest squandering of political goodwill in Britain in the 20th Century, a man who came to office on a wave of trust, and set about quite systematically betraying that trust.

  You’ll notice he dare not collect his congressional medal?

Other Links to this Post

1. Sister Toldjah » Tony Blair slams anti-Americanism in Europe — Thursday, 14 September , 2006 @ 7:16 pm