Like what you've read?

On Line Opinion is the only Australian site where you get all sides of the story. We don't
charge, but we need your support. Here�s how you can help.

  • Advertise

    We have a monthly audience of 70,000 and advertising packages from $200 a month.

  • Volunteer

    We always need commissioning editors and sub-editors.

  • Contribute

    Got something to say? Submit an essay.


 The National Forum   Donate   Your Account   On Line Opinion   Forum   Blogs   Polling   About   
On Line Opinion logo ON LINE OPINION - Australia's e-journal of social and political debate

Subscribe!
Subscribe





On Line Opinion is a not-for-profit publication and relies on the generosity of its sponsors, editors and contributors. If you would like to help, contact us.
___________

Syndicate
RSS/XML


RSS 2.0

Adieu Blair, adieu

By Tariq Ali - posted Friday, 29 June 2007


In the end he decided to go himself. The disaster in Iraq had made him a much hated politician and slowly support began to ebb. One reason for the slowness was that the country is without a serious opposition. In Parliament, the Conservatives simply followed Blair. The Liberal-Democrats were ineffective. Blair had summed up Britain’s attitude to Europe at Nice in 2000:

It is possible, in our judgment, to fight Britain’s corner, get the best out of Europe for Britain and exercise real authority and influence in Europe. That is as it should be. Britain is a world power.

This grotesque, self-serving fantasy that “Britain is a world power” is to justify that it will always be EU/UK. The real union is with Washington. France and Germany are seen as rivals for Washington’s affections, not potential allies in an independent EU. The French decision to re-integrate themselves into NATO and pose as the most vigorous US ally was a serious structural shift which weakened Europe.

Advertisement

Britain responded by encouraging a fragmented political order in Europe through expansion and insisted on a permanent US presence on the continent.

Blair’s successor, Gordon Brown, is more intelligent (he reads books) but politically no different. There will be a change of tone, but little else. It is a grim prospect with or without Blair and an alternative radical politics is confined to the nationalist parties in Scotland and Wales. Its absence nationally fuels the anger felt by substantial sections of the population, reflected in voting (or not) against those in power.

  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. Page 2
  4. All

First published in The Australian on June25, 2007.



Discuss in our Forums

See what other readers are saying about this article!

Click here to read & post comments.

10 posts so far.

Share this:
reddit this reddit thisbookmark with del.icio.us Del.icio.usdigg thisseed newsvineSeed NewsvineStumbleUpon StumbleUponsubmit to propellerkwoff it

About the Author

Tariq Ali is a UK-based novelist, historian and political campaigner. He is the author of Pirates of the Caribbean: Axis of Hope (2006) and Bush in Babylon: The Recolonisation of Iraq. He spoke at Sydney Ideas, the University of Sydney’s international public lecture series, on Tuesday, 26 June, 2007. He was in Australia as a guest of the Noosa Longweekend.

Other articles by this Author

All articles by Tariq Ali

Creative Commons LicenseThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

Photo of Tariq Ali
Article Tools
Comment 10 comments
Print Printable version
Subscribe Subscribe
Email Email a friend
Advertisement

About Us Search Discuss Feedback Legals Privacy