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| Username | Post |
| Free Thinker | Posted
on 05-Feb-03 07:40 AM
Why is Tony Blair, a Labour leader, supporting Bush to such extents inspite of wide spread opposition to the war both amongs the general public and within the Labour party? What is driving Blair beyond the rhetoric of special relationship and engaging America - are there other drivers ? Sajhabasis please share your thoughts. (Would love to hear from those based in the UK too) |
| null | Posted
on 05-Feb-03 02:45 PM
There's a nice article about this in last week's Time. http://www.time.com/time/covers/1101030203/welliot.html HTH, NULL |
| suva chintak | Posted
on 05-Feb-03 03:13 PM
Tony Blair, I think the Brits realize that they can never have their own empire in the foreseeable future. But they also retain the memories of the prestige and satisfacton of the ruling the world. So, the best thing to having your own empire is to be associated with someone who has one, you become the imperial side-kick. So what if you have to play second fiddle to the big guy...you still get to kick a lot of Islamic butt all over the world by siding with Uncle Sam. We all remember how the big neighborhood dada has a small but mean spirited chamcha fawning around him? I reckon this is what is happening with Tony Blair and other English blokes. As long as Uncle Sam is there to say so, Britannica will rule the waves, again! |
| Poonte | Posted
on 05-Feb-03 04:11 PM
Suva chintak jyu, I dont think it's the Brits...it's only Blair that's eating Bush's goo. |
| suva chintak | Posted
on 05-Feb-03 04:23 PM
Poonte Jyu, Yes I agree, it is not all the British citizens. The recent polls there suggest that more than 60 per cent of the people oppose war on Iraq. But it is strange how the democratic leaders can go against the popular wishes of their citizens (who are supposed to be the repository of all power!). If the so called mature democracies can flaunt public opinion when they want, then what can we expect from young democracies. While the solid majority of the people everywhere, even if the US, are against war, I think the powerful conservative minority control all the political decision making apparatus of the state. I think the American sociologist called it the 'military-industrial complex.' So rather than being just individuals, Bush & Blair represent the small but extremely powerful interest groups in their countries. If this group wants war, there will be war...forget about democracy on this point. Realpolitik, I guess. By the way Poontejyu, I was impressed by your dohori skills on the other thread. It seems like you had a quite a bit of practice with the tarunis in your village. I liked your line 'Sajha bazar ma, boxin lagyo kanima, rankyo kanima.' How about starting a dohori between Bush & Blair on one side and Saddam and Arafat on the other? |
| whine and chij | Posted
on 05-Feb-03 04:25 PM
i think nepali mercenaries motivate him. |
| NK | Posted
on 05-Feb-03 04:34 PM
that is what i was thinking. poll shows more than 60 percent of the brits are against this war. even though great britain is in europe, it's leaders (remeber margie thatcher 's undying support of regean?) always sided with the america, north I mean, the USA. So i guess more than anything it is the tradition. perhaps tony blair thinks with the might of american military, iraq will be vanquished in no time and all the glory that will come aftermath! He is a shrewd politician, so i hear. kinda like bill clinton. he may have seen nobody can posibly stop this war machine that is rumbling on the other side of the atlantic. so he jumped the ship so to speak. well done tony. you go girl! i mean blair!! |
| NK | Posted
on 05-Feb-03 04:35 PM
my answer was inteded to be posted after poonte. |
| whine and chij | Posted
on 05-Feb-03 04:39 PM
*always* sided with the u.s.a. war of 1812 |
| whine and chij | Posted
on 05-Feb-03 04:39 PM
ah, it is THE irony! |
| Poonte | Posted
on 05-Feb-03 04:49 PM
Good point, W & C...the Gorkhalis are already bei ng sent to the gulf as part of the British contingent... |
| NK | Posted
on 05-Feb-03 05:18 PM
Fact Checkers! What would the world do without them?? Ah, the beauty of living!! no no of course not always. But almost always. how does that sound? |
| Logical Sense | Posted
on 05-Feb-03 05:36 PM
It is all economics my friends. UK and US relationship in not that superficial. Deep down they are in·ter·twined more than what you and me know. I was wondering about the relationships from good old days of Roald Reagan and Iron Lady and thinking why they are so close, and now I think it is only natural. Similar case is with other staunch looking allies (Canada, Australia, Italy, and Spain and many others). It is all $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. Read on for more information: http://www.babinc.org/aboutus/facts.html Some excerpts for your references ===================================================== The US and the UK are the world’s two largest outward investors and they are also the largest investors in each other’s economies. What are the specifics of this “special relationship”? Consider: With a GDP of US$10 trillion, the American market is by far the largest in the world and the proportion of the US market taken up by exports has been growing steadily for 30 years The US-UK trade relationship is worth US$82 billion, of which half originates in the UK and half in the US The US-UK investment relationship is worth US$460 billion, split equally between the countries Nearly 45% of UK outward investment goes to the US 40% of overseas direct investment in the UK is from the US The single largest country destination for UK exports is the US New US-led investment projects in the UK accounted for nearly 40,000 jobs in 2001 About one million Britons are employed by American companies and about one million Americans are employed by UK companies Another value of the “special relationship” is Britain’s role as the business “gateway” between the US and the EU. The US and the EU are each other’s largest trading partners: 41 cents from every American dollar invested in the EU stops in the UK The EU-US trade relationship means 3 million European jobs and 3 million American jobs US exports to the EU came to US$160 billion in 2001 The US is the biggest non-EU investor in 8 of 15 EU states The US is the biggest foreign investor in 4 EU States BritishAmerican Business Inc’s (BABi) membership of 1,000 companies include many of the world’s largest multinational corporations, as well as hundreds of middle market and smaller companies looking to expand their businesses globally. With offices in New York and London and chapters in 30 cities throughout North America and the UK, BABi is strategically placed at the heart of the US/UK business partnership – the largest business partnership between any two countries in the world. ============== -iti |
| rajunpl | Posted
on 06-Feb-03 04:28 AM
Logical sense ji your logic was not bad in oneway.Yes economical fact is the one of the main reason.There was a big debate once IS BRITAIN THE 51st STATE OF USA?There were many interesting happenings.Britain and america is similar in many things 1.ECONOMICALLY. Like logical sense says.They are investing in each other economy.They are the biggest outward investor.Although britain was the first like P&G and colgate co. Likewise americans have the coca-cola,motorola. 2.LANGUAGE.They have the similar sort of life-style,education,language.Like american movies premier are showing in UK even before US.British premier are going on in LA even before UK. 3.MILITARY.The british troops are consider to be the best troops in the world.Among the GURKHAS are the no.1.Americans have delta force like SAS in the UK.There is nothing to be proud for americans as they are only the vito power in the world. 4.TONY BLAIR.In one way he is very good and bad in other way like he has problem in his own country while he is mocking around the world.There is nothing to do with the ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALIST.He may have more muslim living in britain than in whole iraq. World admire him because he got his own personality in his kind of job.He is the one who brought labour into life. |