Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

An Ally Remembers (A Tony Blair Book Review)
The Wall Street Journal ^ | 09-02-10 | MARTIN RUBIN

Posted on 09/01/2010 5:42:00 PM PDT by GOP_Lady

Defining 'New Labour,' defending the Iraq war, getting to know George W. Bush.

It is now painfully obvious that Tony Blair—the man who led Britain for a decade, who transformed the country's dully orthodox Labour Party into dashing, moderate "New Labour," who faced down parliamentary opponents with brio and eloquently defended the invasion of Iraq—is no longer much of a hero in his own country. Indeed, he is intensely disliked, not least for his loyalty to the "freedom agenda"—the idea that, after 9/11, Western democracies had a duty to face down tyrants like Saddam Hussein and end the threat they represented.

Americans, understandably, have less intense feelings about Mr. Blair. They may remember him most of all for articulating George W. Bush's foreign-policy ideas—especially the logic of the Iraq war—a bit more gracefully than Mr. Bush did. It was at such moments, in speeches and joint press conferences with Mr. Bush, that Mr. Blair made his greatest impression—as a loyal American ally and gifted orator.

But the man himself, not to mention the arc of his career, is unfamiliar to most Americans. "A Journey," his political memoir, is thus especially welcome. Luckily it is not one of those leaden bricks of official reminiscence. The tone is confiding, informal and forthright, though Mr. Blair has not given up his habit of handling certain matters in an on-the-one-hand/on-the-other sort of way.

(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: allies; allyuk; blair; bookreview; bush43; tonyblair; wsj

1 posted on 09/01/2010 5:42:01 PM PDT by GOP_Lady
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: 506Lake; AdvisorB; afraidfortherepublic; antivenom; angry elephant; Bernard; Blonde; ...


To be added or removed from the
"The Wall Street Journal" Ping List,
FReepmail
GOP_Lady.

2 posted on 09/01/2010 5:42:42 PM PDT by GOP_Lady
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: GOP_Lady

Blair helped by Murdoch Islamfied England. He is the biggest POS to ever rule England.


3 posted on 09/01/2010 5:45:12 PM PDT by Frantzie (Imam Ob*m* & Democrats support the VICTORY MOSQUE & TV supports Imam)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Frantzie

I think that honour goes to William The Conqueror


4 posted on 09/01/2010 7:45:37 PM PDT by Mitch86
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Mitch86

William The Conqueror purposely flooded England with millions of Muslims to destroy the country and called anyone who opposed it a “racist”? Tony Blair did.


5 posted on 09/01/2010 7:55:37 PM PDT by Fingolfin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Fingolfin

Tony Blair enacted a massive anglo-saxon genocide, instilled his own power structure - often at the expense of the existing nobility and introduced a complete and disproportionate tax overhaul that spared no-one? Because William The Conqueror did.

You lack a historical perspective my friend.


6 posted on 09/02/2010 7:53:43 AM PDT by Mitch86
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson