Tony Blair's Biographer: Why Blair was so cozy with Bush
Today in Britain, Bush is loathed across the political spectrum, and Blair's unwillingness to distance himself from the President lies at the heart of his troubles. Blair's biographer Anthony Seldon puts it bluntly: “He has sacrificed his premiership for that relationship.”
Last Thursday while visiting a London school, Blair publicly announced - against his will - that he would be resigning within a year. As if to remind the Prime Minister why he had been put in this position, a protestor outside the school was holding up a big, brown papier mache dog bone. Written on it was “A Bonio for Tonio the Poodle.”
He was not alone. In a poll of paid up members of Blair's Labor Party last month, almost 40 per cent of agreed with the statement: “Tony Blair is George Bush's poodle - he does anything the American President wants.”
The question in Britain is why would Blair risk the ridicule and his position to maintain his close ties with Bush? One reason, according to biographer Seldon, is that Blair was simply following the traditional “special relationship” forged with America by Winston Churchill.
A second reason was that Blair “is a true believer in humanitarian interventions” and saw removing Saddam Hussein in those terms, Seldon said. Blair was “already a hawk on Iraq, going back to the bombing campaign in 1998,” he added.
Blair also thought that by staying close on Iraq he could influence the President after he had vetoed the Kyoto Accords and get him more involved in action on global warming as well as making changes to trade rules to help poor nations. That hasn't happened.
Another reason offered by Seldon is Blair has a “genuine personal liking and admiration” for Bush. Both men are deeply religious which may help explain the bond. But even that connection made Blair vulnerable to criticism in Britain,a remarkably secular society, where displays of religious faith are alien. In 2003, as Blair was touring Britain drumming up support for overthrowing Saddam, a BBC interviewer, with a slight sneer in his voice, asked if it was true that he and the president prayed together. Blair was clearly angered by the question.
Read entire article at Michael Goldfarb writing in Newsday
Last Thursday while visiting a London school, Blair publicly announced - against his will - that he would be resigning within a year. As if to remind the Prime Minister why he had been put in this position, a protestor outside the school was holding up a big, brown papier mache dog bone. Written on it was “A Bonio for Tonio the Poodle.”
He was not alone. In a poll of paid up members of Blair's Labor Party last month, almost 40 per cent of agreed with the statement: “Tony Blair is George Bush's poodle - he does anything the American President wants.”
The question in Britain is why would Blair risk the ridicule and his position to maintain his close ties with Bush? One reason, according to biographer Seldon, is that Blair was simply following the traditional “special relationship” forged with America by Winston Churchill.
A second reason was that Blair “is a true believer in humanitarian interventions” and saw removing Saddam Hussein in those terms, Seldon said. Blair was “already a hawk on Iraq, going back to the bombing campaign in 1998,” he added.
Blair also thought that by staying close on Iraq he could influence the President after he had vetoed the Kyoto Accords and get him more involved in action on global warming as well as making changes to trade rules to help poor nations. That hasn't happened.
Another reason offered by Seldon is Blair has a “genuine personal liking and admiration” for Bush. Both men are deeply religious which may help explain the bond. But even that connection made Blair vulnerable to criticism in Britain,a remarkably secular society, where displays of religious faith are alien. In 2003, as Blair was touring Britain drumming up support for overthrowing Saddam, a BBC interviewer, with a slight sneer in his voice, asked if it was true that he and the president prayed together. Blair was clearly angered by the question.