Wednesday, November 19, 2003
Well, the eagle has landed. After the red carpet welcome at Heathrow Bush was whisked secretely by helicopter into Buckingham Palace, it looks like they're only going to let him out into daylight for a short time each day before hiding him away again. But he'll get his pictures of him meeting the Queen beamed back to the States, which is the only reason he came for.
But the US administration has already made rumblings that they aren't willing to move on either the prisoners being held in Guantanemo Bay or on the illegal US steel tariffs. You would have thought that, after sticking the UK neck out on the US behalf, they might actually want to do something to show their gratitude to us? Nope. Thus far the special relationship has been entirely one way. The only gift we've got out of this is an increased risk of attack from Al Qaieda.
But Blair is unlikely to mind. Why? Because he now seems unable, or unwilling, to admit that something that's good for him is not also good for the country. He got lots of applause when he went to America earlier this year and that's what he sees as important. He needs support, especially when he's not getting it back home. Trying to get the US administration to uphold their international obligations jeopardises the applause. Tony Blair has dragged us into two wars on the basis of his own psychological shortcomings.
But the US administration has already made rumblings that they aren't willing to move on either the prisoners being held in Guantanemo Bay or on the illegal US steel tariffs. You would have thought that, after sticking the UK neck out on the US behalf, they might actually want to do something to show their gratitude to us? Nope. Thus far the special relationship has been entirely one way. The only gift we've got out of this is an increased risk of attack from Al Qaieda.
But Blair is unlikely to mind. Why? Because he now seems unable, or unwilling, to admit that something that's good for him is not also good for the country. He got lots of applause when he went to America earlier this year and that's what he sees as important. He needs support, especially when he's not getting it back home. Trying to get the US administration to uphold their international obligations jeopardises the applause. Tony Blair has dragged us into two wars on the basis of his own psychological shortcomings.
