p_p_man
The 'Euro' European
- Joined
- Feb 18, 2001
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From today's New York Times
Blair Pays a Price at Home for Supporting Bush on Iraq
By WARREN HOGE
LONDON, Jan. 26
Prime Minister Tony Blair's moralizing diplomacy, his tough talk on Iraq and his steadfast loyalty to President Bush have have cost him popularity at home and hard-won influence in Europe.
In opinion surveys of the British public, a majority have been questioning his aggressive posture against Iraq and faulting him for being too subservient to the United States.
In the hours that followed an interview on TV, the network conducted a call-in survey on whether viewers had been persuaded of the need to go to war, and 66 percent said no. A poll in The Sunday Times of London recorded 68 percent giving the same response to the question, "Has Tony Blair convinced you Saddam Hussein is sufficiently dangerous to justify war?"
Abroad, Mr. Blair's projection of Britain's power in the world through its alliance with America is undercutting his parallel desire to leverage the country's power in its own region.
"The Europeans do not see Britain as a trustworthy partner anymore," said Charles Grant, director of the London-based Center for European Reform. "Nobody wants to be seen holding hands with us in public — we're not kosher, we're not nice people to deal with."
It's obvious when you see Blair on TV that his normal composure is wobbling. His body language shows it. And last week a speech he was making to a group of students at a London school was hijacked by them by constant questioning of his policy over Iraq.
The leader, 16 year old Iain ??? has since become a bit of a national figure in his own right...
The question now is that although he talks tough but his resolve is fading, will he have the strength of will to back away from America and say 'Sorry George, you're on your own on this one'?
ppman
Blair Pays a Price at Home for Supporting Bush on Iraq
By WARREN HOGE
LONDON, Jan. 26
Prime Minister Tony Blair's moralizing diplomacy, his tough talk on Iraq and his steadfast loyalty to President Bush have have cost him popularity at home and hard-won influence in Europe.
In opinion surveys of the British public, a majority have been questioning his aggressive posture against Iraq and faulting him for being too subservient to the United States.
In the hours that followed an interview on TV, the network conducted a call-in survey on whether viewers had been persuaded of the need to go to war, and 66 percent said no. A poll in The Sunday Times of London recorded 68 percent giving the same response to the question, "Has Tony Blair convinced you Saddam Hussein is sufficiently dangerous to justify war?"
Abroad, Mr. Blair's projection of Britain's power in the world through its alliance with America is undercutting his parallel desire to leverage the country's power in its own region.
"The Europeans do not see Britain as a trustworthy partner anymore," said Charles Grant, director of the London-based Center for European Reform. "Nobody wants to be seen holding hands with us in public — we're not kosher, we're not nice people to deal with."
It's obvious when you see Blair on TV that his normal composure is wobbling. His body language shows it. And last week a speech he was making to a group of students at a London school was hijacked by them by constant questioning of his policy over Iraq.
The leader, 16 year old Iain ??? has since become a bit of a national figure in his own right...
The question now is that although he talks tough but his resolve is fading, will he have the strength of will to back away from America and say 'Sorry George, you're on your own on this one'?
ppman
