tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-930120922627919768.post2753220328511315603..comments2024-03-28T19:42:30.766+00:00Comments on SCOT goes POP!: Blair's greatest performance was in his own mindJames Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516007141763230886noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-930120922627919768.post-26544922104261089892010-09-03T01:02:20.337+01:002010-09-03T01:02:20.337+01:00I couldn't manage the full hour either, Tris, ...I couldn't manage the full hour either, Tris, I switched over to the Channel 4 Labour leadership debate, which was much more fun because they were all queueing up to hurl abuse at Blair! So much for Tom Bradby's theory (or should that be demand) that the party membership still heed Blair's advice, and that the timing of his intervention somehow assists David Miliband. <br /><br />Having said that, I'm increasingly resigning myself to the likelihood of a David M victory, but if that happens it'll be in spite of Blair's "help", not because of it.James Kellyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01516007141763230886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-930120922627919768.post-81230919996446731552010-09-02T22:36:22.483+01:002010-09-02T22:36:22.483+01:00I remember the night before the Security Council w...I remember the night before the Security Council were to debate the second resolution.<br /><br />I was in France at the time and the speech that Chirac made was shown on television. It was good solid common sense, impressive, statesmanlike, considered, and intelligent. All the things that neither Bush nor Blair could claim in their emotion-charged speeches.<br /><br />As I listened, I thought that after hearing this surely Blair couldn't possibly go ahead with this war at least until the final reports from Dr Blix and the inspectors were available “in more than a week but less than a month”.<br /><br />Then I watched the horror that was "shock and awe". If that wasn’t a recruiting sergeant for the militants then I can’t imagine what else would ever be. (Whenever I hear people talk about the carnage of 7/7, I always think, with deepest sympathies to the dead and injured, that that was not a patch on what happened to Baghdad.)<br /><br />Much is made of the fact that after Chirac refused to take part in their carnage, the Americans, and I suppose British, wanted nothing more to do with France or anything French. But the same thing was felt in France. ‘How could you?’, was a commonly asked question. And I couldn't answer it. For the love of an American president, I suppose....<br /><br />I've never been so ashamed to be British; never tried so hard to cover any trace of accent in my speech.<br /><br />I couldn't watch the Blair interview, and although I should try to, I can't bring myself to commit to reading his book. I can barely say his name.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com