Jesus. How many times is it possible to screw the pooch?
The “anti-American feeling” of some European politicians is “madness” as the world needs the US to help tackle pressing problems, Tony Blair says.
There is a danger some countries will “pull up the drawbridge and disengage”, the prime minister said in a pamphlet published by the Foreign Policy Centre.
And he said while the “war on terror” is “unconventional”, it can be won by promoting values as much as force.
The pamphlet is based on three foreign policy speeches he has made this year.
“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,” Mr Blair is quoted as saying.
He called on those with anti-US views to join him by becoming “involved” and “engaged” in tackling global issues such as terrorism.
“The reality is that none of the problems that press in on us can be resolved or even contemplated without them.”
The prime minister concedes that mistakes have been made in the past in attempts to defeat extremism around the globe.
But countries “are not being bold enough, consistent enough, thorough enough in fighting for the values we believe in”, he said.
There will never be real support for “tough action” against extremism unless global poverty, environmental degradation and injustice are tackled with equal vigour.
He also calls for 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”.
The BBC’s diplomatic correspondent, Jonathan Marcus, says given that Mr Blair has announced that he will leave office within a year, the publication represents something of a political will and testament.
“This pamphlet reads like a plea for understanding from a leader who firmly believes that he will ultimately be proved right,” our correspondent says.
Oh, this is good for a laugh and a half. Doesn’t Toady realize yet that Dubya has no interest in fighting poverty, environmental degradation, or injustice–indeed, that everything he’s done to date actively PROMOTES those things?
Also, Dubya has no interest in promoting interracial and inter-religious harmony; he’s banking on continued divisiveness so that he’ll have an excuse to continue wearing out his welcome in the world. Witness the sectarian strife in Iraq; it’s his excuse to stay, even though Iraqis from all sides of the struggle are screaming “Go, go, GO AWAY!!!”
It is NOT “anti-American” to oppose the war on Terra. It is, rather, pro-world. It is in the interest of the entire world that no one nation dominate it, or any part of it beyond its own borders–whether in the name of “fighting terrorism” or otherwise!
Let’s be painfully honest: the war on Terra has done nothing to stop terrorism, and everything to promote it. Al-Qaida had no presence in Iraq before the US invaded; now it’s the most dominant political force there. Guess why. (It’s worth remembering that Toady, like his master, repeatedly and wrongly claimed that there were connections before the war. Someone, please inform them both that non causa pro causa is a logical fallacy.)
The “moderation” that Toady seeks will never happen. It’s a non-starter. As long as multinational corporations are allowed to exploit at will, and “moderate” governments are too milquetoasty to step in and stop them, the vicious cycle will self-perpetuate. How many years of Moderate Toady have we seen now, and no discernible improvement in the standard of living for anyone but those who are already stinking rich? And how many are that way because Toady is just as much indebted to them as Dubya? It’s no secret that he and his party have turned their backs on their voting base in order to court their traditional adversaries. The reason? Same as BushCo’s for screwing the world: MONEY.
And, even worse, they’ve hopped into bed with murderous dictators. And show no signs of wanting to get out.
Worst of all, though everyone is screaming at him to resign, he won’t set a date. How remarkably similar to his master’s grand plan for Iraq!
Once again, a major disappointment to the world, brought to you by Toady Blair.
UPDATE: Jimmy Carter has blasted Toady for his “subservience” to BushCo. I knew there was a reason I liked him so much…
Blair sounds more and more like a modern day Chamberlain. He thinks Bush is no threat to the world but is the savior. Terrorism can’t be fought with violence for terrorism is the response to violence and violence and war is Bush’s only answer to it.
If we had treated 9/11 as an act of crime instead of an act of war and only went after those responsible, the world might even still have good will for America like it did on 9/11. Of course, Bush wouldn’t have that tragedy to milk for political gain.
That is what I don’t understand about most Americans. To Juxtapose FDR to Bush makes you wonder what if FDR had said, “The only thing we have to fear is Republicans and the end of fear itself?” Americans obviously have learned nothing from the McCarthy era.
Always be wary of those telling you that you must be afraid of something or someone. Courage isn’t the absence of fear; it is the overcoming of it. Bush certainly is not trying to get Americans to overcome their fear. And some Americans think having a leader telling you to be afraid makes him a good leader. They have a need for an authoritarian to tell them how to live their lives.
Tyrants are the only ones that need to make their people afraid to maintain power and Blair and a lot of Americans are too stupid to see that.
Wren, you pegged it exactly–he’s Neville Chamberlain, appeasing a Hitler. He tried to talk sense to Dubya, or so I heard, and ended up dropping his drawers and bending over for him instead. Ever since then, it’s been denial, cover-up, invocation of Official Secrets Act, you name it. Anything but accountability or rectification–that would mean backtracking on his own entrenched habits of corruption.
After all, Dubya’s not the only rich evildoer he’s cozied up to for his own short-term gain.