Question about the Medal of Honor for Blair

[othermeans]

I was wondering if anyone could tell me why Tony Blair is getting the Medal of Honor? I thought it was only given to active duty military and deceased foreign nationals who fought alongside Americans.

I read some of the citations for valor and somehow I don't think Tony Blair quite measures up to guys who crawled along the ground with missing limbs to aid their comrades. I think it somehow reduces the worth of the award and brings it down to the level of a PR ploy.

I guess we won't be able to challenge his medal like we do John Kerry's. Maybe Bush will give Cheney one and then Cheney can give Bush one and Rumsfield and Wolfowitz and Rice ad nauseaum

[SemiCharmedQuark]

1. Like Bush would know the military rules?

It makes him look like he's playing dress up more than ever.

[Davis_X_Machina]

2. Presidential, not Congresional MoH.

Very different thing. Julia Child, among others, had one.

If it's the Congressional Gold Medal (not MoH), Blair joins Charles Schulz, Rosa Parks, and Frank Sinatra.

[LibraLabSoldier]

3. Requardless

He should not give it to him. It is disgusting. IF he does, one of our few remaining living MOH holders may take him out.....

[democracyindanger]

5. More to the point

Blair should not accept it.

[othermeans]

4. Sorry news article says Congressional Medal of Honor

http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_778651.html?menu=news.latestheadlines

[Davis_X_Machina]

7. Common error, especially in foreign press.

It is the Congressional Gold Medal - the national equivalent of the keys to the city. No big deal.

Danny Thomas, Louis L'Amour, and Fred Waring, big-band leader and blender inventor, are among the other holders.

[RivetJoint]

11. Article is wrong

If it says that...

[mitchum]

6. Because they lost the original "Best In Show" ribbon for Bush's lapdog?

[bhunt70]

12. haha good one.

[poliguru]

8. Sickening

It's like a pat on the head for Bush's puppy - a bribe, a kickback. Even though it's he equivalent of the keys to the city, as it was so well put, it's still at least symbolically disgusting.

[emulatorloo]

9. He's getting it for "Self-Inflicted Wounds"

EOM

[Jacobin]

10. I think they gave one to Winston Churchill..........

The comparison to Smirky is sought to be made by neo-cons daily

:puke:

[Davis_X_Machina]

13. Churchill was made an honorary US citizen...

...in addition to any other honors he received from the US. This is a much rarer distiction. He was the first and Mother Theresa was the only other one who was conferred this dignity while still alive. Posthumously it has been awarded to LaFayette, William and Hannah Penn, Rene Wallenberg and, I believe, Andrei Sakharov.

I think it neat that the highest award we can give a foreigner is simple citizenship -- which most of the rest of us have more or less handed to us.

There are blowhards out there who are trying to get this honor for Blair , but the comparason to Churchill is so clear that it ain't gonna happen. Didn't happen for Thatcher, whom Reagan worshipped, or Major after Gulf War I, so it ain't happening now.