Cameron criticises 'simplistic' White House

Guardian ^ | 09/12/06 | Tania Branigan

[Pikamax]

David Cameron criticised the Bush administration yesterday, attacking its "unrealistic and simplistic" world view and over-reliance on military action. In a lecture to mark the fifth anniversary of 9/11, the Tory leader said he was a "liberal conservative, rather than a neoconservative" and insisted: "We are not engaged in a clash of civilisations."

But he went on to justify the use of pre-emptive force and intervention for humanitarian purposes. Promising solid, not slavish, backing for the US, he said: "Anti-Americanism represents an intellectual and moral surrender. I and my party are instinctive friends of America, and passionate supporters of the American alliance."

His intervention went some way to aligning the Tories with the US despite public scepticism about the special relationship. According to research released by the BBC last night, most people - 55% - think the government has aligned itself too closely with US foreign policy. The Gfk NOP poll found that 11% thought the UK was not close enough and 19% thought the relationship about right. More than half of voters - 53% - said the government was losing the fight against terrorism in the UK.

Mr Cameron has a difficult balancing act as he attempts to build links with the Republicans while developing a Conservative critique of arguably the prime minister's weakest spot. Mr Bush is increasingly unpopular at home, while the fortunes of John McCain, the Republican seeking his party's candidacy, are rising. Senator McCain is to speak at the Tory conference in Bournemouth this month.

[Pikamax]

"Rightwing Tories were broadly supportive of his speech yesterday, suggesting it differed in tone but not substance from remarks made by Lady Thatcher yesterday.

"We had some classic rows [with the Reagan administration]...," Lord Powell said.

"But that was within the confines of the special relationship. As I understand it, that's what Cameron is looking for."

Cameron ain't no Thatcher, he is a conservative of the Chafee model.

[CheyennePress]

Not a clash of civilizations?!!! What is it going to take for these pansy-arsed know-nothings in Europe to wake up?

It ain't all, but it's far too many!

[claudiustg]

---But he went on to justify the use of pre-emptive force and intervention for humanitarian purposes.---

What a jackass! And he thinks Bush is simplistic...

[vbmoneyspender]

I and my party are instinctive friends of America, and passionate supporters of the American alliance.

The instinctive friends and passionate supporters I know always label their best buds 'unrealistic and simplistic.'

[Darkwolf377]

David Cameron criticised the Bush administration yesterday, attacking its "unrealistic and simplistic" world view

What a simplistic criticism.

ANY worldview can be encapsulated simply, so please, can we pass on that ridiculous criticism? Would it make these dopes feel better if we discussed the details of the Nazi regime rather than coming to England's rescue, or examined the subtleties of the Tripartite Pact before entering the war in the Pacific?

You and your commie buddies can discuss all of this in detail at your wine-sipping gathering in Provence this weekend. Meanwhile, uncultured American soldiers will carry on saving the world so you have a civilization to bitch about, you effete little pussy.

[1066AD]

He has a PR background so will use many words instead of just a few, hence his criticism of W's statements as "simplistic".

He's also mostly playing to the gallery domestically.

[DoughtyOne]

So the Cameron surrender is now in full motion huh?

What an idiot's delight.

[photodawg]

David Cameron criticised the Bush administration yesterday, attacking its "unrealistic and simplistic" world view and over-reliance on military action
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I venture to guess that many Brits still think of Americans as uncivilized barbarians and simpletons unable to grasp the finer nuances of politics and policy as well as cultural sophistication.

[SWAMPSNIPER]

"Liberal conservative"?
Dayam, most of the time you have to go looking for decent oxymorons, finding one ready made is a rare blessing!

[starbase]

Not a clash of civilizations?!!! What is it going to take for these pansy-arsed know-nothings in Europe to wake up?

I also once used metaphors that imply the ability to change instantly. "Wake up", and "snap out of it".

But these days I think they (Euros) are not in a state which can change quickly. I think they are simply immature, and immaturity is only corrected by time and experience.

So I don't think they'll be "waking up" at all. Can they mature fast enough to not die? Maybe, maybe not. Personally, I ran over my checklist titled "Valuable services given to us by Europe", and it was empty.

If they grow up fast enought they'll be worth knowing. If they don't, then they won't be. The onus is pretty much entirely on them, while they, on the other hand, seem to believe they have all the time in the world. (they don't)

[dfwgator]

I never thought I'd say this about a Labour leader, but Thank God Tony Blair is in charge rather than the Tories.

[Steely Tom]

Cameron criticises 'simplistic' White House...

I know. It's awful the way George Bush reduces everything to simple decisions.

Whenever someone is trying to kill me, I always make time for a few hours of careful navel-gazing.

[msnimje]

Gosh, the Brits are doing such a bang up job with their own Islamic terrorists we should probably listen to him.

[Berlin_Freeper]

"Anti-Americanism represents an intellectual and moral surrender. I and my party are instinctive friends of America, and passionate supporters of the American alliance."

In the above Cameron addresses the root problem he faces that forces other such toe-twisting knee-gnawing remarks such as: "unrealistic and simplistic."

Despite talk of the "special relationship" between the US and the UK, there is an Anti-Americanism problem in Britain due to jealousy (just like the rest of the world). You can see it every day on such TV channels as BBC, CNNI, Sky News (all of which I largely stopped watching long ago because they are so anti-American and thus pointless).

Cameron wants to eventually get elected and is trying to make all types happy. If all he did was talk positive about the US he would never win.

[Berlin_Freeper]

Add to that Bush won't be in power when Cameron finally makes the scene so Bush is an easy target for criticism.

[Northern Alliance]

Doesn't leave the Brits with any choice at all in the next election. I guess I would vote Labour in the hopes that a crushing defeat of the Tories would at least get rid of this guy.

[FreePoster]

"Mr Bush is increasingly unpopular at home..."

They could just refer to him as "the increasingly unpopular President Bush" the same way the refer to "his increasingly unpopular war in Iraq." They keep asserting this trend of opinion as a matter of fact, and they were saying it before he was reelected. I think the people who hate him now hated him four years ago.

[Torie]

Cameron wants power. Frankly, there is next to no difference in any meaningful way between Labor and the Conservatives in Britain. There is a concensus on policy. It is just sniping about problems, that don't have any real solution.

[dfwgator]

I think the people who hate him now hated him four years ago.

And the same people hated Reagan too, back when he was in the White House.

[LegendHasIt]

"liberal conservative"

What a brilliantly moronic statement from such a well dressed slovenly slender fat man.