Will Tony Blair emerge as greatest British statesman since Churchill?

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what a bomb!

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Seem to be reading a lot of support for our Prime Minister, mainly from the USA he seems more popular then President Bush over there! lol. I am quite impressed with his handling so far, and even though because of his government, our taxes go up in April, I still cannot see any other politician I would rather have at the reins then Blair. The only thing that will put me of him is if he pushes us into a federal Europe superstate and the euro currency. After the fiasco of certain European countries (ie. France!) it just goes to prove there can never be a united Europe! And to think they wanted a European Army! Where would that be today I wonder?

So what do you think? Blair will go down in history as a great statesman? (of course this is providing how events go!)
 
Hm, I personally don't have a crystal ball. You are right, Blair is quite popular in the U.S. However, we're not his constituents, and aren't they ultimately going to be the judges? It's hard to say. Time is the least subjective of judges, so we'll have a better idea in twenty years should historians care to compare Churchill and Blair. Right now, in an emotionally charged spur-of-the-moment situation, I personally want to be careful particularly as I'm a U.S. citizen who doesn't want to barge into someone else's politics. We'll know more later.
 
Hmmm maybe "since Churchill" may be to grand a statement to make, maybe just "a great world statesman?" this thread is really a response to the support I keep reading about him basically.
 
I don't know what the UK will do come election-time. People could do a protest vote for the Tories, but they were more for the war than the divided Labour Party. If Blair runs again come election time, I have a feeling he'll get grudgingly re-elected. While damaged, much depends on what Blair does from here.

As for the EU, its success could go either way. A lot will depend on if it can set itself up as a formidable challenge to American economic imperialism, and if it can strengthen the economies of its poorer members. Time will tell.

Melon
 
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what a bomb! said:
The only thing that will put me of him is if he pushes us into a federal Europe superstate and the euro currency. After the fiasco of certain European countries (ie. France!) it just goes to prove there can never be a united Europe! And to think they wanted a European Army! Where would that be today I wonder?

So what do you think? Blair will go down in history as a great statesman? (of course this is providing how events go!)

I don't think he will. He's incomparable with Churchill.
As for the united Europe, I do believe it can work perfectly if it does not go beyond economic things. Whenever it comes to a common foreign policy or defence policy, it starts looking more and more dubious.
 
Re: Re: Will Tony Blair emerge as greatest British statesman since Churchill?

ALEXRUS said:


I don't think he will. He's incomparable with Churchill.
As for the united Europe, I do believe it can work perfectly if it does not go beyond economic things. Whenever it comes to a common foreign policy or defence policy, it starts looking more and more dubious.

I would much rather that Britain pulls out of the european market (what was known as the common market) and join the NATA (North American Trade Alliance, I think thats what it is called)) and have a free trade not only with NATA but also the Tiger economies, all Europe has done for us is imposing CAP levies on food prices (ie prices kept artificially high within the european common market). We entered the common market under a Conservative Prime Minister,Ted Heath back in the 70's who apparently knew what the long term goal of a Federal Europe was without telling the voters!

Thank god the UK is a island and we should of listened to the guy who said that the Channel Tunnel should of been built sloping towards France so we could use it as a sewer!

God Save The Queen - God Bless America
 
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Heroes.

DB9
 
Mr Deep=:blahblah::down:

u will only get an opinion on Blair when you feel it's safe enough to do so.. :up:

DB9
 
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melon said:
I don't know what the UK will do come election-time. People could do a protest vote for the Tories, but they were more for the war than the divided Labour Party. If Blair runs again come election time, I have a feeling he'll get grudgingly re-elected. While damaged, much depends on what Blair does from here.

Melon

will he get the party vote from within to run again?
maybe if there aren't any other viable options...

blair has come off as the good cop for americans relative to bush's bad cop...from what i've seen blair gets to make more announcements regarding the advancement of humanitarian aid. i wonder if this is purposefully done given the early backlash against his early decision to join the 'willing'.
 
No he cannot be as great as Churchill.
And he wasn't very nice about Ali's "close Sellafield" campaign.
But it is nice to have somebody besides Bono trying to save the world.
 
diamond said:
1048784863.4093706333.jpg

Heroes.

DB9

Another example of the Prime Minister's leadership-

Al-Qaeda fighting with Iraqis, British claim
March 28 2003, 9:41 AM




Near Basra, Iraq: British military interrogators claim captured Iraqi soldiers have told them that al-Qaeda terrorists are fighting on the side of Saddam Hussein's forces against allied troops near Basra.

At least a dozen members of Osama bin Laden's network are in the town of Az Zubayr where they are coordinating grenade and gun attacks on coalition positions, according to the Iraqi prisoners of war.

It was believed that last night (Thursday) British forces were preparing a military strike on the base where the al-Qaeda unit was understood to be holed up.

A senior British military source inside Iraq said: "The information we have received from PoWs today is that an al-Qaeda cell may be operating in Az Zubayr. There are possibly around a dozen of them and that is obviously a matter of concern to us."

If terrorists are found, it would be the first proof of a direct link between Saddam's regime and Osama bin Laden, the mastermind of the 11 September attacks on New York and Washington.

The connection would give credibility to the argument that Tony Blair used to justify war against Saddam - a "nightmare scenario" in which he might eventually pass weapons of mass destruction to terrorists.

On Wednesday Donald Rumsfeld, the US defence secretary, said the coalition had solid evidence that senior al-Qaeda operatives have visited Baghdad in the past.

Rumsfeld said Saddam had an "evolving" relationship with the terror network.

The presence of fanatical al-Qaeda terrorists would go some way to explaining the continued resistance to US and British forces in southern Iraq, an area dominated by Shi'ite Muslims traditionally hostile to

Saddam's regime.

Heavy fighting continued around the besieged city of Basra yesterday after British forces destroyed 14 Iraqi tanks which had struck out towards the Al Faw peninsula.

Military commanders have decided against launching an attack on Basra because of fears the operation would result in a Stalingrad-style street battle.

It is estimated the Iraqi military forces in the area have been reduced to 30 per cent fighting strength but have now embedded themselves within civilian buildings in the city.

Armed raids have destroyed transmitters and taken state radio and television off the air in Basra and effectively cutting off its communications with Baghdad.

British tanks from the 7th Armoured Brigade, the Desert Rats, could be sent into Basra if there is a sudden civilian uprising against Saddam's forces.

Last night, forces around the city heard loud explosions as coalition helicopter gunships were sent into the area.

This is a pooled despatch from Gethin Chamberlain of The Scotsman.


Diamond:larry:
 
Considering churchill once called gandhi a "half naked fakir"


Fakir is urdu for witch doctor....not a euphemism for an expletive btw.

I'd say blair stands a chance at surpassing churchill.
 
Yes Churchill was never the most dignified figure (except when he orated), he was known for eating steak and kidney pie + chocolate while smoking a cigar, all at once!

I think Blair has made a decent fist of things, he's certainly a figure with more personal credibility than Bush, and from what I hear alot more dignity away from the public eye also.
 
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