Blair quits, effective June 27th
posted at 9:13 am on May 10, 2007 by Allahpundit
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And leaves with a quasi-apology for Iraq:
With stirring oratory cast as a personal testament, he declared: “I ask you to accept one thing. Hand on heart, I did what I thought was right. I may have been wrong. That’s your call. But believe one thing: I did what I thought was right for our country.”
Moran says we can do business with Gordon Brown, but that may be considerably less true now than it was even recently. The Brits are gasping for a breath of fresh air in their leadership as deeply as Americans are; with the GOP turning against Bush now on Iraq, Brown has no incentive to continue any intimate partnerships with the U.S. Not until 2009, anyway, at which point the Tories might well already have bounced him.
With Blair goes the most resonant voice among world leaders for democratizing the Middle East and waging a robust war on terror. Here are three of my favorite clips of his, all from last year; they tend to get lost in the shuffle of British leftist war-crimes-trial fantasies. Exit question: as one stalwart, eloquent European defender of western values exits, has another entered to take his place?
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Buh bye.
csdeven on May 10, 2007 at 9:19 AM
They’ll miss him very soon. The first islamofacist uprising, they’ll be begging for his leadership.
roninacreage on May 10, 2007 at 9:24 AM
Brown won’t have to run until 2009 which gives him a little breathing room of his own to separate himself from Blair. And since the Brits are getting out of Iraq anyway, look for Mr. Brown to start jawboning the US on global warming even more than Blair did.
Note that Sarkozy even mentioned global warming in his acceptance speech where he said nice things about America. Once the Iraq War has wound down, THE issue in Europe will be getting the US to play ball on climate change – something George Bush won’t do and that even a Democrat will find hard to accomplish as long as China can pollute to its heart’s content.
rick moran on May 10, 2007 at 9:27 AM
I kind’ liked Tony. Seemed like a good leader and a gentleman.
Perhaps his greatest sin was dirtying himself by buddying up to Bill Clinton.
OBX Pete on May 10, 2007 at 9:32 AM
Good man. His list of what his gov’t was able to accomplish in 10 years was pretty impressive. Most impressive was how he was able to bring the parties together and build consensus. Love his succinct description of the world views of rigid liberals and rigid conservatives. Above all love his eloquence.
I wonder what Tony’s doing starting Jan 2009…..
honora on May 10, 2007 at 10:51 AM
A great friend of America who was scorned in Londonistan because he was an Atlanticist. We will miss him here and I wish him a prosperous life after he leaves Downing Street. Watch his leftist wife Cherie Blair now that the gags are off show her true colors.
Hilts on May 10, 2007 at 10:54 AM
Good riddance. He may be on the right side in the war on terror, but he is a worthless sack of crap about everything else. Unfortunately, I don’t expect anyone who replaces him, from either party, to be any better. In fact, they could well be even worse.
jic on May 10, 2007 at 11:25 AM
I will be sad to see him go and so won’t they. I don’t know much about his wife, but I have heard that she’s left of center from a friend who spent a few years there at university. However, her husband is a good man and a good friend to this country and he will be missed.
Catie96706 on May 10, 2007 at 11:27 AM
I hope he emigrates. Preferably here.
Tanya on May 10, 2007 at 11:28 AM
Actually, ron, that’s not correct. Just as in America, if there’s an attack even in 2010 in a Dem administration, they will say “if it hadn’t been for Bush…” – any attack in Britain in the near future will always be accompanied by “if it hadn’t been for Blair’s support of America…”
eeyore on May 10, 2007 at 12:08 PM
With in a year people in Britian will be crying for the good old days under Blair.
William Amos on May 10, 2007 at 12:14 PM
I can see where this would frustrate you. After all, it’s not like anyone tried to pin blame for 9/11 on Clinton. Oh wait….never mind.
Hey sauce, get over here, you forgot the gander.
honora on May 10, 2007 at 1:29 PM
Blair’s mistake was being a leader in a country that wants just a figurehead in power.
Must remember that Winston Churchill won WWII and before the war was even over the Brits threw him out of office because of socialist promises of his oponent
People want to believe in fantasy anymore and the left feeds on that.
William Amos on May 10, 2007 at 1:43 PM
Blair is in good company.
After all, Winston Churchill was rejected too.
Darnell Clayton on May 10, 2007 at 1:46 PM
Thanks for those great clips, AP.
The Ugly American on May 10, 2007 at 2:03 PM
–Fred Thompson
He said in his speech that “Britain is the greatest country in the world” – No, sir, not the Britain of today. But Britain has inspired many good things in the world. See life in all its facets in Singapore, for example.
His speech to our Congress was an incredible one. I cried. Also, recorded it for posterity (something I seldom do). Some oafs in the audience didn’t even get it.
Agree with honora – this is a great man, and history will record that fairly.
His greatness springs from the fact that he made the right, hard and unpopular decision against his party, his people and his wife. It can’t get any harder than that.
Entelechy on May 10, 2007 at 2:36 PM
When Blair first came to power as Prime Minister, replacing John Major, the media was all ablaze how while naturally Great Britain would remain a friend and ally, with Labour now in power, there would be a “distance” from the US as compared to the closeness between Reagan and Thatcher. A Labour Great Britain would seek to have closer ties to Europe.
Thank you Tony Blair for proving them wrong. Thank you Tony Blair for putting true friendship above petty politics. Thank you Tony Blair for being able to disagree at times without being disagreeable. Thank you Tony Blair for being a leader instead of a poll follower. Thank you Tony Blair for committment. You will be missed.
hadsil on May 11, 2007 at 3:42 AM
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