British Prime Minister Tony Blair has announced that he will be leaving office on June 27th. He appears to be determined to go out on a low. I have always had a fair bit of time for him, being a breath of fresh air after the mouldy years of John Major. However, things went a bit sour in 2003, when he slovenly followed George W. Bush in an invasion of Iraq, war in Iraq, ostensibly because Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction. I think they are now referred to as weapons of mass-delusion. Something tells me that Tony Blair knows full well he's been "had" by George W., but that's what you get if you degrade yourself to MP for Texas Northwest.
We've recently been treated to the long farewell tour of the elder statesman that Tony thinks he is. Not so. Iraq is still haunting him, and will continue to do so until it is resolved. Heaven knows when that it is going to be. Incidentally, George W. Bush and his Republicans can expect to be presented a bill for that account too in 2008. Or will they? Anyway, back to oor Tony.
Six weeks ago, we had elections in Scotland for our devolved parliament. The result was a close call, but the Scottish National Party SNP came out biggest - by a margin of 1. Its leader, Alex Salmond, was duly elected First Minister. Now, I don't particularly like the SNP and its policies, and am in a way relieved that their minority administration means that a referendum on independence is unlikely. All the other parties at Holyrood are opposed, bar the two Green MSP's. The first six weeks in power made the SNP look like the kid that got the Monopoly game out, found that it's got REAL money in the box, and is spending it like there's no tomorrow. Leaving all that to one side (no, I don't like Alex Salmond), there is such a thing as gracious behaviour. Questions were asked a week or so ago - had the First Minister yet spoken to the Prime Minister? "He never phones, he never writes", was Mr Salmond's reply. That is ill grace. I am aware that Tony Blair and Alex Salmond have a visceral dislike of each other, but you should put personal dislike out of your business dealings, not?
It gets worse. Tony Blair has been on this farewell tour of the world. He also called in on Colonel Muammar Gadaffi, Libya's self-styled dictator and breathtaking turncoat.
Remember, Gadaffi is the guy that allegedly sanctioned the bombing of PanAm flight 103, causing it to explode over the Scottish town of Lockerbie (80 miles south of Glasgow) in 1988. Gadaffi is the guy that sent boatloads of ammunitions to (Northern) Ireland for use by the IRA in the 1980s. Gadaffi is the guy whose embassy personnel shot and killed a woman police constable in 1984 during a protest and siege. Nice character, eh? When Saddam Hussein was toppled after no battle at all in 2003, Gadaffi blanched, renounced terrorism and started to behave like the best behaved little boy in class.
So, Tony went to Libya. Signed a memorandum of understanding with Libya, to the effect that all Libyan nationals in British jails would be repatriated. They are then supposed to serve the rest of their sentences in a Libyan jail. This includes the scapegoat, Abdelbaset ali Mohmed al-Megrahi, who was tried by a Scottish court and found guilty of the aforementioned bombing of PanAm flight 103. Now, there are two problems with that.
The conviction was made under Scottish jurisdiction. Tony Blair has NOT consulted with the Scottish Executive on this. Megrahi is serving a 20 year jail term, which started in 2002, and is as yet not eligible for parole. He is also guilty of a heinous crime against humanity. When he gets home, he won't go back to jail. The Lockerbie bombing was almost certainly sanctioned by the Libyan regime. And Tony Blair wants this guy to be released? I don't believe it.
As I said, I know that Messrs Blair and Salmond cannot stand each other. I also know that Mr Blair will leave office on June 27th, and probably cannot be bovvered with Alex Salmond in the meantime. But he does have time to sidle up to wolves in sheepclothes like Muammar Gadaffi?
Mr Blair will be succeeded by his current Chancellor, Gordon Brown. It sounds like he is leaving a whole tray of poison chalices for him. But worse than that, ordinary people will also be affected by this nice exit.
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Well, I think this is a pretty succinct description of Tony Blair leaving office and another coming to take his place. I am wondering how he will prove to be. Hard for us in the states to tell much of anything about English prime ministers for a while. I have always liked Tony Blair but his friend George Bush is experiencing a dreadful low of popularity. As everyone is thorougly disillusioned with the lack of progress in ending our painful sojourn in Iraq. Why either Bush or Blair failed to imagine what might follow with a preemptive strike on Iraq I can't imagine. Even I thought Saddam was becoming a toothless old tiger who had lost his taste for war in spite all of his bluster and pretence. Gerry
ReplyDeleteThank you for that wonderful write up of our current affairs. I only wish I was able to write as elequantly as you as it is just what I would have written. I am sorry for Gordon Brown though as he has this mess to try and clean up. Have a lovely day. So far at 8.20am the sun is shining and blue sky abounds not the rain we have been warned about !! Sybilsybil45
ReplyDeleteI see that Gordon Brown - soon to be leader of the Labour Party - has been likened to the Statesman Gladstone as being the most intelligent man in power since his reign. Tony Blair is an articulate intellectual who could think on his feet. Not so George Bush. It never ceased to amaze me that he followed George Bush like a puppy.
ReplyDeleteI hope this is never the case with Gordon Brown. I want him to replace my faith in the British Government and make me proudonce again to call myself a British Citizen.
I too never have liked Alex Salmond. Just for saying sake, give him a Presidency like Putin in Russia and he too would dictate and control. He makes me uncomfortable.
As for the weapons of mass destruction? If there were any, then I must admit I have always had a sneaky suspicion that Iran pre-empted our efforts to dind them during the war and had them moved over the borders into their country. Sadam loved to keep everything on the move to dupe our surveillance sattelites. Just a thought which I cannot let go of..... Our intelligence can't be that bad.....surely? Jeanie
I for one will be sad to see Tony Blair leave. Some of his policys did not amount to much but on the whole he did ok.Standing along side bush was his downfall. But looking on the Twin towers disaster what else could he do but show Bush a united front.War on terror. What else could Tony Blair do? We had bomings on the London underground so my way of thinking Tony Blair had no choice but stand shoulder to shoulder with Mr bush. Even when it was a nail in Tony Blairs coffin. One thing i do not agree with is not having a public vote on who we want as Prime minister now Blair has resigned. I do not trust Gordon Brown and i did not vote for this guy to take over. I do not agree with Tony blair on the release of Libyan bombers to there own country. But on the other side is why should tax payers money be spent keeping there terrorists in UK prisons. Any way i have been unusualy vocal in my comment if you do not understand my veiws no matter lol.I love the pics by the way Thanks. Your Island of Lewis is one bonny little island and one day i would like to visit.
ReplyDeletelove and hugs
Katie