Tony Blair's famous foreign policy idealism seems to have been largely transmuted into subservience to George Bush. One of his senior officials just resigned over the illegality of the Iraq War: Aide quites over 'illegal' war Times of London 10/17/04.
Carne Ross, who was Britain’s Iraq expert at the United Nations before the war, said he has resigned in “total disillusionment” with the government’s behaviour over the conflict.
Ross, first secretary in Britain’s delegation to the United Nations, was responsible for negotiating policy and drawing up resolutions as Blair and George W Bush began to prepare the case for war. He was involved in the initial preparation of Blair’s dossier on weapons. ...
Ross is understood to believe the evidence was “unambiguous” that Iraq posed little or no threat so the legal case for war was flawed. He and other officials are believed to have raised their concerns with ministers. Ross said yesterday: “I am happy to confirm that I resigned because of the war, but I cannot comment further.”
He is the second senior Foreign Office official to quit over the war following the resignation of Elizabeth Wilmhurst, a deputy head in the Foreign Office legal department, in March 2003 because she felt the war was illegal.
Meanwhile, Blair is making his subservience to his master in the White House even more explicit: US to command UK troops by David Cracknell and Stephen Grey Times of London 10/17/04.
Tony Blair faces a growing political row over Iraq after it emerged that hundreds of British troops may soon be sent to the Baghdad region to fight under American command.
Senior MPs and military sources warned of the danger of British soldiers being associated with heavy-handed US military tactics in central Iraq and of being drawn deeper into the conflict.
Blair himself risks accusations that he is acting to shore up his ally GeorgeW Bush in advance of the US presidential elections on November 2. ...
British defence sources confirmed yesterday that more than 600 soldiers from the Black Watch regiment could be moved ahead of Iraq's elections in January. They are likely to be stationed in a combat zone where insurgency is widespread. ...
It is feared that the Black Watch, currently stationed in Basra, may have to adopt America's aggressive rules of engagement - though the Ministry of Defence has denied this would happen - and so draw Britain even more deeply into the worsening conflict in Iraq.
Well, I suppose that's one way of getting our allies more involved in Iraq.
And it shows they don't call him "Tony the Poodle" for nothing.
3 comments:
I think Blair is sunk. Funny how things work out -- if you listen to the man defend his policies, it is hard not to wonder where Bush would be in the polls had he half the rhetorical gifts of his "poodle".
Blair always impresses me as a clear-thinking and purposeful leader, with courage of his convictions matched by the ability to articulate his reasoning and argue for his position.
The stark contrast to Bush is so awfully apparent, that it seems grossly unfair that Blair is clearly on his way out while Bush is still holding even with Kerry.
In the end, I think they both are going down, but Blair will have a prominent shiner and a tarnished reputation to show for it, while the Congress will quickly vote to rename an airport for Bush.
Neil
Bruce, I see Vladimir Putin today endorsed Bush for re-election to the US presidency, adding the comment that "A vote for Kerry is a vote for the terrorists." Does this mean that you'll have to think up another derogatory epithet, this time for Putin? How about "Vlad the tame dancing bear"?
David
Matt Yglesias has already come up with a good phrase: "the Putinification of America." - Bruce
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