Blair made an excellent speech

[TheBigGuy]

Probably one of the better speeches in recent memory.

Too bad we dont have people like him in US politics.

I watched it on CNN, they panned around the various Congrescritters. You could almost see the corruption and lies oozing out of them...they just look like the corrupted compromised ego freaks that they are.

Blair, on the other hand came across as something we dont see too often in US political life...a "statesman"...someone with the big picture and vision of the world as it is and where it should go.

He said some thought provoking things. Things I need to poder. Im pretty cynical about politics and politicians, but Blair I will listen to as I don't see any gain in this for him or his country.

I know this is probably a real contrarian position for DU, but so be it.

[patdem]

1. See these repukes think Blair is a repuke so they love his speach

but only because there has not been delivered since Clinton a rousing speach to the American people!...as long as the repukes think he is a repuke they will praise him.

[EAMcClure]

2. What did Blair say?

What do you remember from his speech?

What did Blair say that will make you ponder?

What exactly are you going to ponder?

He made jokes, pronounced "risible" correctly. He said that history will exonerate the U.S. and Britain for going to war, even if international law and the evidence did not back them up. Because "they took out a tyrant." What BS!! How many tyrants, even now, have the U.S. and Britain backed and funded? How many tyrants have the U.S. and Britain appointed and coddled? How many evil regimes have the U.S. and Britain defended with their U.N votes and their Security Council vetoes?

Mr. Blair's speech had no content, no character, and no class. I think your position is without merit.

[ObaMania]

10. Hear hear!

It was a bunch of crap with a few jokes thrown in. I was waiting for the DEMs to start yelling at him like they do in Parliament!

[Woodstock]

32. Wouldn't that have been something!

I wish our congress was like that.

[Friar]

52. I agree

At one time Blair was a fairly moderate conservative in the Labor Party but he has sold his soul to da debbil. His speech was full of crap. I could hardly believe his performance. He did deliver it a statesman like manner, I'll grant him that.

[TheBigGuy]

13. I think he made a case for an international role for the US

....to take the lead against terrorism and WMD proliferation

He was indirectly referring to Iran in this speech, and I think Iran IS a potentially a bigger threat than Iraq was as we knoe that Iran is trying to develope nuclear capability, AND has supported terrorism in the past.

Blair was also implicitly endorsing the neocon policy of democratizing the mideast.

He also touched on Americans' natural inclination to isolationism, the "why me?" part of his speech. He said thats where destiny or fate has put us. Which is true. In some ways the USA is an "accidental superpower"...that was the long term result of Europe tearing itself apart and our sucess in facing down Communism during the Cold War.

So, I think he has some good points.

I know alot of peope here at DU dont want to hear this, as his points implicitly endorse the Iraq War and Bush, and this is a Democratic board intrested in bringing down Bush.

But, looking at the bigger picture, Blair might be right.

[PretzelWarrior]

23. look at US policy since at least WILSON. we're not an accidental

superpower. Did you notice U.S. didn't enter WW1 or WW2 until both sides had bled each other quite a bit before jumping in there?

Don't tell me the corporate plutocracy we have is an accident. The new colonialism has nothing to do with taking over territory and holding weapons over the people unless there is some single source of natural resources like OIL. Otherwise, the modern colonialism has to do with "WORLD TRADE". As soon as SE Asians start to buck up and rebel against low wages and low standard of living, etc. Corporatios with US military backing will crack down on some terrorism and they always have the fallback position of providing business dealings with the completely downtrodden African countries.

THis is a joke to say we or Blair or anyone who is moral should suuport these preemptive actions based on LIES.

[TheBigGuy]

29. We entered WWII

...because we where attacked at Pearl Harbor.

WWI is more questionable, but unrestricted submarine warfare was a pretty good reason...torpedoing US merchant marine ships would be considered an act of war in any book.

The US was more interested in Latin America and somewhat in the Pacific Basin... not really Europe or Africa or Asia.

[PretzelWarrior]

35. LOL. read the records about US intelligence on Japanese aims

and the purposefully provocative moves US made against Japan by blockading oil shipments which shut down Japan's warmaking capacity and Roosevelt and company could easily infer what the consequence would be--namely, getting attacked by Japan. Voila! U.S. is now in war.

You sure do view history with a surprisingly innocent eye.

[DUreader]

24. You and I live in different Worlds

[shockingelk]

27. the correct question isn't "why me"?

it's "Why this?"

What might he be right about? Seem,ed mostly blather.

I listened on the radio, but I'm sure Santorum went wild with applause when Blair said something like everybody has the right to do anything they want as long as it doesn't infringe on someone else's right. If he did applaud, you need no more proof that it was blather.

[EAMcClure]

34. I disagree

If you think the neocon agenda is to democratize the Middle East, then Blair's speech prettified the notion and reinforced the U.K.'s "handmaiden" role in bringing this policy to fruition.

What I saw was the usual con act I expect from U.S. politicians. Backing Israel as integral to Middle East security without defining what security means. What does security mean in regards to the Middle East?

What does liberty mean to an occupied and invaded nation? What does nation-building mean when your resources are being sold privately to bidders before you even have an elected government and constitution. What is democratic about that?

He defended the European Union before the U.S., essentially saying "don't get antagonistic yet, your eastern allies will soften their tone on trade and foreign policy." Okay, but how and why?

Blair backed free trade, saying that the third world has a right to sell their goods. Of course, defending the export end of free trade is all well and good, but what of the import angle? What are these third world nations spending in order to import necessary goods and materials on the supposedly free market, when it is the first world that governs export prices?

Once again, I did not see content in Blair's speech. I only saw a kind of articulate prevarication unsuitable to a supposed world leader. No panache, no gravitas, only apologism and "wait and see."

[Woodstock]

37. make that "explicitly"

.

[tinanator]

43. despite the fact they have taken the lead in promoting both?

ridiculous. If it werent for US, there wouldnt be any WMD's and quite likely no organized terrorist threat. deny it, why dont you?

[sandnsea]

45. Your head gets turned easily, huh?

If we had some sense of a normal foreign and military policy, I might agree with you. We don't. We've got a lunatic in the WH. We've got the Bush Doctrine. We've got preemptive war. We've got people who will lie to implement a preemptive war. We've got soldiers and citizens dieing in a country where it wasn't necessary.

This was just another scary terrorist speech. Bush and Blair save the world by military might! It's insane and I can't understand how they turned your pretty head so easily.

[leesa]

55. We already lead in terrorism and WMD proliferation

They are in no way an accidental superpower. It was painstakingly crafted with countless lies and bribes. Ummm...our success in facing down the mythical threat of rampant communism which has now been replaced with the mythical threat of rampant terrorism.
Do you not realize this booga booga is crafted to sell arms??

[diplomats]

3. Too bad the occupant in the WH

can't make the same eloquent points. The contrast makes Bush look pretty damn bad.

[TheBigGuy]

18. I wholeheartedly agree with that.

Bush is conspicuous by his absence.

Here we have someone with real smarts and leadership ability...Tony Blair. Bush looks like an oaf in comparison.

[diplomats]

30. I remember talking to a co-worker before the war began

and he was telling me he watched Blair give a speech laying out the case for war and it made 100 times more sense than any justification Bush had ever made. It's like Rove needs to rely on another foreign leader to do what * should be able to do. And Shrub's supposed to be a strong leader???

[TheBigGuy]

I know, its a joke.

Bush is pretty much a creature of media hype, with a bit of 'emporers new clothes" thrown in.

Which is why this NigerGate thing blew up lke it did. Bush himself dosnt have it to address the issue or controversy, or rise above it.

[Woodstock]

39. Blair lost me when he praised Bush for his "leadership"

Huh?

[TheBigGuy]

41. He was just being polite?

you dont diss the guy whos hosting you?

[EAMcClure]

40. Where was Blair's justification?

Dammit, don't give Blair credit today where none is deserved. Blair laid NO FOUNDATION FOR ALLIED ACTION IN IRAQ. NONE. Blair justified nothing. Please don't fall for the spin. Read between the lines of his speech and you will only find apologism.

Blair did not defend his government's hand in the Niger intelligence. He did not defend his statement that Iraq was a mere 45 minutes away from blasting Tel Aviv with WMD. Blair defended nothing, unless you count daffodil words.

Blair gilded the lily. Face it.

[leesa]

56. Being Bush's lapdog demonstrates leadership??

You are too funny! I guess his countrymen, who are about to throw him out on his ass, don't like where they are being led.

[PretzelWarrior]

4. how is there no gain for him? broadcast in London was primetime

ENgland has not exactly been a financial dynamo the past 20 years. Anything they can do to stay on the US gravy train will help them as a country. Blair is working for his job here. Not to say he didn't make some good points or that he isn't eloquent....but he is the epitome of politician. Just look at reports about him over in British media.

[karlschneider]

5. And said nothing. A veritable farrago of tautological feel-good crap.

But it would have been a great campaign speech if he were running for Congress. Maybe he is.
:grr:

[sandnsea]

6. He promoted US global domination

Sure it was a great speech if you're inclined to want the US rampaging around the world. But if you know that Phase 1 was a preemptive war based on phony intellience, a sane leader would question promoting that country as world dominator.

He's eloquent all right, he loves America all right, but supporting US domination isn't a position any world leader ought to take.

[Spazito]

7. Blair's diction was excellent, his content was....

:puke: with the exception of the part on Kyoto and climate warning. His garbage on the pre-emptive attack on Iraq was the same old garbage, nothing new OR honest there.

[9215]

53. Compared to Dubya

that is saying something. Dubya doesn't have good diction or substance.

[poskonig]

8. 54% of Brits

answered "true" to a recent poll, "I trust Tony Blair as far as I could throw him."

[arcane1]

9. "we dont have people like him in US politics"...?

:wtf:


no Bush ass-kissers in US politics? Hell that's MOST of them! Left and right both!

[prolesunited]

36. Of course

but he said it with all them fancy words. :silly:

[jackstraw45]

Blair

I didn't see the speech but my opinion is the BFEE has something on Blair or the UK and is exploiting it to the max.

The support Blair gave to this war really hasn't fit with the Tony Blair of the Clinton years.

That said, I personally think your position DOES have merit although I can never look at Tony Blair the way I used to.

He's really damaged goods in my eyes.

[MattNC]

11. agree 100%

I've always liked Blair, and think some of the posters here give him too hard a time b/c of uniting with Bush on this one issue. Of course, I gave lukewarm support to the war, so it's probably a lot easier for me to say taht.

[AP]

12. I'm on your side. I have faith in Blair and I have faith

that he has something up his sleeve in regard to Bush. Blair, no doubt, wants Bush to lose badly in 2004.

[leesa]

57. No doubt

[DUreader]

14. Were you wooed by his accent? So refined and shakespearean. LOL Puke(vb)

That's puke as a verb not accusatory.

Empty retreaded rhetoric as far as I could tell.

No new ideas, more excuses for empire.

I think you got suckered.

What exactly are you pondering?

[TheBigGuy]

20. Im wise to English accents...look here:

The English do use their accent as a "weapon' of sort when dealing with Americans:

http://www2.uol.com.br/speakup/stories_a/182_language.shtml

[DUreader]

25. I'm wise to propaganda, but it still gets me every time.

I am often fooled

[AP]

59. Blair's pronunciation isn't exactly posh, or received for that matter

it's a hodge podge of N. England, a tiny tiny bit of Edinburgh, and little London and suggests that he isn't from the upper class.

[Proud_Lefty]

15. His delivery was great but ...

I respect Blair a lot more when he's speaking to his parliament. When he speaks B.S., he immediately gets slammed and has to work hard to be heard. He knew that wouldn't happen in the U.S.A., so he took off without being questioned. With his wonderful British accent and humor, he was enjoyable. But did you listen to his words?

We did not provide a safer world by invading Iraq.

We are hardly building friends with the world.

We are not going to provide Iraq with wonderful democracy because we care. It's so we can control the oil and that area of the world.

Iraq did not pose an imminent threat to the U.S. and this was a horrible place to start on the war on terrorism.

If taking Saddam out made this world a better place and worth all the American and British lives it has cost, why don't we police the rest of the world? They are much worse leaders out there.

His words were not true. They were Bush's words. And unfortunately, the Freepers are once again encouraged and rejuvenated by this wonderful British delivery of B.S. Unfortunately, most of it didn't happen to apply to what is actually happening.

[LSdemocrat]

16. Whatever you think of him, he is genuine

Blair is one of the strongest believers in nation building (look at his actions in Kosovo). He has always had these beliefs.

Whether or not you agree with him, he is genuine, articulate, and highly intelligent.

[DoctorMyEyes]

17. awww.... you were just bewitched by the sound

of an eloquent speaker with a mastery of the language. After listening to the shrub for the last two years you may be apt to swoon over the proper proper pronunciation of "nuclear"....

[nadinbrzezinski]

19. Was a good speech

A very well delivered speech, wiht some tired
propaganda points

Reminded me far more of a colonial master
reporting to the home government

Now why was he given that respect? taht is the
way we are....

Blair discusts most Brits and many of us
Americans....

It was more like Mussolini visiting the Fuehrer and
years from now it may be compared exactly to that.
Some have quiped that history is serious the first time
around and a farce the second time around...

[rustydad]

21. Slickster

Blaire is smart and has a great vocabulary. He is likely a lawer, trained in speech. All things bush lacks. But he is more dangerous because his lies sound true. In reality he is a the consument lying weasel politician. *uck him. Bob

[Hoppin_Mad]

22. I agree to SOME extent

Although I didn't agree with the content - Blair is articulate - pleasant - witty - at ease - and a good speaker. He ACTS like a leader.

He did not act all pissy, pouty and smug - which Dumbya ALWAYS does when he speaks - like a spoiled brat who always gets his way.

Fuckin Shrub doesn't even know how to STAND behind a podium, sometimes leaning on it like it's a bar he's bellying up to.

He can't even ACT the part.

[goobergunch]

26. It was a very good speech...

but almost everything he said was wrong.

[madrchsod]

28. sorry bigguy but i

have to disagree. although he has mastered political speech making and he does have a vision,he`s still a bitch dog to bush. the guardian still may have an article about how blair has sold the brits to the united states power struture and accuse him of being more an american than a brit...he`s a bitch,and that`s sad....

[LSdemocrat]

33. He is genuine. . .

Blair really does believe in internationalism, globalization, and nation building. If you actually look at his record, most notably Kosovo, you will see that he genuinely believes in what he is saying.

[lanlady]

31. and Winston Churchill was eloquent--

--when he spoke about Britain's right to royally screw over the Irish.

Please, don't get suckered by the accent!

[JustJoe]

38. Big Picture vs. Small Print

Brit John Snow on CNN said approx.,
"What Blair did was paint the Big Picture
& hope that nobody reads the small print."
The prob for Bulsahir is that both the Big
Picture & the small print expose them as
craven liars. And even the American people,
too often big impatient Mongos, are starting
to read the small print.

[tinnypriv]

42. You get used to it

He is a damn good speaker.

But here is an experiment: read the transcript. Then it is the same as Bush - lies and sugarcoated mendacity.

I loved the part about the "rule of law" though. Er, like the UN Charter? How about the Geneva Conventions? Whooops!

[EAMcClure]

49. Indeed

This New World Order rhetoric is the same damn premise over and over and over again:

1. Smaller countries can not take care of themselves.

2. It is the role of U.S. and Britain to act as co-chairs of world hegemony, dividing the world's resources and handing them out to nations as they see fit.

3. Democracy doesn't mean having to say you're sorry.

4. Democracy is further defined as, "electing leaders who agree with points 1, 2, and 3 above."

5. There are still troubles ahead, but the U.S. and Britain will take care of it. Go back to sleep.

[leesa]

58. Colonialism at its best

Funny how rich corporate heads always seem to be the most in need of those spoils of war.

[DoctorMyEyes]

44. See, now the idiot is speaking

saying the same things but his words are like a dull saw hacking through your skull, while Tony's were like a pretty lullabye

[JustJoe]

46. Doctor!

Excellent! Hilarious, true, painful.

[PretzelWarrior]

47. he's good at reading...but he sounds like he is reading

for someone like me who has done a fair amount of extemporaneous and manuscript speaking, I laugh and groan when I see him put emphasis on the wrong part of a sentence as though he clearly doesn't know what the F#ck he is talking about. Perhaps when he's reading them its for the very first time.

But I know the "Huntin' 'em down" language is very purposeful now. He clearly feels that plays well enough with the NRA Texas types that he could care less what most ENglish speaking people think about it. It's a callow ploy to grab the unsophisticated, uneducated vote which is a quickly growing segment of the electorate.

[Merlin]

48. Actions, not words, are the way you judge a leader.

And by his actions he has demonstrated a mendacity and naivete unseen since Neville Chamberlain.

Both he and shrubbie were utterly oblivious to the realities of the post-war realities. They both believe the Iraqis would welcome us. Any godam fool could have told them -- and God knows we tried -- that they were wrong. They don't have the slightest concept of what real people are like. They think people are toys, pieces on chess boards, puppy dogs who can be brought to heel with enought "persuasion." They don't have the slightest grasp of the thing they emphasize most -- the desire of humans to be free.

He is a liar of the first order, just like the man whose ass he has kissed for 2 years.

Without Blair, this war would never have happended. He will not be forgiven.

[EAMcClure]

50. Liberty by force is no liberty at all

Eventually, if the U.S. and Britain continue to occupy Iraq, then by force of arms the Iraqi people will be convinced of our goodwill and the benefits of democracy.

Sounds like the reasoning behind an abusive domestic relationship.

[w4rma]

51. I didn't watch his speech, not because I didn't want to "listen" but...

because I already *know* what he was going to say, because I have been listening to Blair, very closely, for many months, now.

Blair is a big-time con-artist.

[gulliver]

54. CNN: British guy said "Even this America"

The gist of it was that it is good for the British to be in good with America and, quote, "Even this America."