Worthwhile Television
Last night, I got the chance to watch Tony Blair’s speech to Congress. (Dialup users may prefer to read Blair’s remarks.) As you watch, bear in mind that Blair is a member of the Labour party, a remarkable fact given his tendency to sound like Paul Wolfowitz in his statements on foreign policy. Beyond mere curiosity, it is worth a little time to see the advice of a British prime minister regarding the proper actions of a major world power.
The other reason to watch this speech is that the ritual quoting out of context has already begun less than twenty-four hours later.
Tony Blair last night used the rare opportunity of a historic address to the US Congress to declare that history would “forgive” him even if no weapons of mass destruction are uncovered in Iraq.
In a significant softening of Downing Street’s stance on Iraq’s banned weapons, the prime minister stood before hundreds of members of Congress to admit that he may eventually be proved wrong.
As Britain knows, all predominant power seems for a time invincible, but, in fact, it is transient. The question is: What do you leave behind?