The naivety of Blair's foreign policy

Columnist Johann Hari explores Tony Blair's foreign policy, as the British prime minister comes in for criticism, accused of towing the US line over the Lebanese crisis. "I think Blair's reading of the battle within Islam is broadly right. So how has it produced such disaster across the world? It comes from a terrible, willfully naive misreading of his allies. Tony Blair seems to genuinely believe that the US is the armed wing of Amnesty International, a state-machinery that will be dedicated benevolently to ensuring the right side prevails in this civil war. He even seems to extend this analysis, at moments of rhetorical overheat, to Israel. But in reality, the US government is motivated by many ugly factors, with Blair's benevolent reading way, way down the list".

» more information (external link, English)
More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Security Policy / Crises / War, » United Kingdom, » U.S.
All available articles from » Johann Hari

» To the complete press review of Monday, August 7, 2006