Gordon Brown and America
November 14, 2007 RJH
I have my doubts that Gordon Brown’s America policy will differ substantively from Tony Blair’s. A recent speech by Brown at the Lord Mayor’s banquet has attracted much commentary, notably for its apparent break with Blair’s terror obsession.
The Guardian notes that, “Mr Brown mentioned Iraq only briefly and in passing. He said nothing about Islam or 9/11 at all.” Instead, he outlined his belief that global challenges must be tackled by global institutions, code, perhaps, for a less America-centric, unilateral world.
Despite the public distancing (contrast this with Merkel and Sarkozy’s recent cosying up to Uncle Sam), Stephen Pollard believes that there will be no major difference in Britain’s foreign policy under Brown. Brown’s rhetoric is simply intended to appease domestic anti-Bushism and show he ain’t Tony.
The trouble for Gordon is that Blair was so much more interesting.
November 14th, 2007 at 11:12 pm
Brown sure isn’t burning any bridges:
In his speech, Brown emphasised he was a “life long admirer of America” and added: “I believe that our ties with America — founded on values we share — constitute our most important bilateral relationship.”
http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/articlenews.aspx?type=topNews&storyid=2007-11-13T015221Z_01_L12700315_RTRUKOC_0_UK-BRITAIN-IRAN-BROWN.xml
November 15th, 2007 at 12:35 am
Iran is the major test. If the US opts for a military option, will Brown follow? He really doesn’t want to, but must even Brown by sacrificed on the altar of the Special Relationship?
November 15th, 2007 at 5:38 am
“Iran is the major test. If the US opts for a military option, will Brown follow?”
I think the answer to that question came out recently in this interview with Sky News:
http://www.officialwire.com/main.php?action=posted_news&rid=24604
It seems fairly clear that he will not be an impediment to US imperial objectives and that he will likely follow.
November 15th, 2007 at 5:11 pm
Curtis,
Well, there you go then.
January 27th, 2008 at 4:45 pm
http://ecotradelink.info/loan/bradford-and-bingley-building-dociety-loan.html