Blair is a FAR better man then I originally thought, the Brits should be proud of him.
Politics aside, the British People and the British Government have ALWAYS been staunch allies of the United States.
As vehemently as I disagree with Tony Blair's politics, he *is* standing tall with the United States of America and as a result he's earned my respect.
Thank you Tony Blair for being such a strong ally, and thank you British People for standing by the United States.
God Bless America and God Bless the British People.
That was exactly my first impression. He got stronger as the minutes went on.
I agree, but...Blair is still a very liberal weenie who mirrored Clinton's method for getting elected. He bashed his opponent, promised change and escalated the liberal agenda when he got into office.
His recent dive towards a more responsible leadership role was due to one single factor...September 11. This event brought home stark reality and exposed his own nation's vunerable existence. A sledge hammer was dropped on him. Maybe pacifism and PC'ness isn't the best policy.
"The older I get, the more conservative I get."
Blair is an honorable leader. He's growing and learning. We'll snipe at him for his misguided domestic policies, but I think he genuinely loves his country. When your very survival hinges on the choice of (Politically popular)pacifistic, idealogical blustering;... or simply whomping the sworn enemy? The choice is obvious.
We are going to remove Saddam Hussein. That is a given. Anybody who thinks that will be a cakewalk is dreaming. 9-11, and the anthrax threats which followed, changed everything.
All this waffle about "preventing Saddam from acquiring WMD" is polite double talk. Saddam has stockpiled massive quantites of anthrax for over a decade. That is a WMD that can be delivered to our cities by hand, by the same kind of sleeper agents used to destroy the WTC and attack DC.
We assumed -- or hoped -- that the threat of nuclear retaliation would prevent Saddam from using his WMD against Israel or its allies in the West. And, indeed, he has been deterred from launching such attack. But he has turned the tables, revenging himself against the United States and fomenting a terrorist uprising against his foes that spans the entire Muslim world. Now, he is playing the deterrent game himself.
The United States and Britain have both recently threatened Saddam with a nuclear response to any non-nuclear WMD attacks against their "forces." More "polite talk." Everyone knows that it is not our "forces" which are at risk, now. It is our cities.
If you want to understand what's really going on -- why, for example, there's not a chance in hell that Sharon and Bush haven't choreographed their war on terror together -- just remember, Bush knows what's really going on, not the press boobs and the talking heads. Clearly, Blair is in the loop, too. In the end, there is only one thing that matters: winning the war against Saddam Hussein.