Blair shouldn't think that Bush can be changed

[dArKeR]

British Prime Minsiter Tony Blair's near-fatal political strategy inadvertently but inevitably exposed him to the dilemma of his special relationship with US President George W. Bush.

Blair had attempted to wage a campaign that skirted Iraq -- which British voters cited as the overriding issue for their disillusionment, with about only one-third willing to admit that they trusted their prime minister. But his invitation to the voters to vent their frustration at the beginning of the campaign -- the so-called masochism strategy -- naturally brought their anger over Iraq to the surface. Once he had raised the level of political toxicity, Blair simply froze.

Blair had achieved the extraordinary feat of persuading the Labour party to transform itself into a party that wins power. But this time his ability to persuade was exhausted. When confronted with the criticism that he had summoned, he offered no argument. Instead, he pushed voters away with a defiant exasperation that provoked their resistance as he challenged them to judge him. Why wouldn't Blair persuade? Was it just weariness, or ambivalence?

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/edit/archives/2005/05/16/2003254910

[sam sarrha]

1. Bu$h will change..he will get more maniacal as the pressure increases

[struggle4progress]

2. "Bush can be so amiable and informal dressed in blue jeans ...

... s that his manner can be mistaken for openness and co-operation, when it conceals a particular type of American class superiority and indifference."

Right on the money!

[Matilda]

3. Excellent article.

It does make me wonder about Blair's intelligence - there's no doubt
he's a sharp operator, but it seems he really lacks the depth of
intelligence necessary for his job.

He broke all the rules of taking a country to war, obviously just
following Bush on a wing and a prayer - and he doesn't even have the
excuse of Bush's limited intellect. His judgment of people is
also clearly way off balance - we who don't even know Bush have been
able to see right through him, but clearly Blair couldn't make that
judgment.

It would have taken both courage and real statesmanship to have kept
Britain out of the war, and it's sad for Blair that he possesses
neither of those qualities. His standing with the rest of the world
is now forever diminished.