Lebanon: Blair loses any remaining credibility
Bloomberg
U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair joined President George W. Bush in blaming Iran and Syria for the escalation in violence in the Middle East, raising pressure on the two nations as missiles fired from Lebanon killed eight people in Israel.
"There are those in the region, notably Iran and Syria, who do not want this process of democratization and negotiation to succeed," Blair said today after a meeting with Bush in St. Petersburg, Russia, during the Group of Eight summit. "There has been a real hesitation to put the real truth of this situation."
In previous days, Blair had avoided apportioning blame for the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah fighters in southern Lebanon, urging both sides to halt the violence. Today, he said Iran and Syria were backing "extremists" in the region who want to derail efforts to strengthen democracy in Lebanon.
The comments lend support to Bush, who alone among G-8 leaders meeting in Russia had previously named Iran and Syria as the underlying cause of the violence. The price of crude oil has risen to a record amid concerns that the conflict may broaden to take in other countries in the region. Read more
db: It's clear that UK foreign policy and national interest has been hijacked. Blair joins Bush is pushing a simplistic and dangerous narrative reflecting their neoconservative credentials rather than the "real truth" that the UK PM refers to above.
Last night both leaders went so far as to block a ceasefire call from the UN Security Council - despite both governments having many nationals stranded in Lebanon. Is this perhaps significant?
U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair joined President George W. Bush in blaming Iran and Syria for the escalation in violence in the Middle East, raising pressure on the two nations as missiles fired from Lebanon killed eight people in Israel.
"There are those in the region, notably Iran and Syria, who do not want this process of democratization and negotiation to succeed," Blair said today after a meeting with Bush in St. Petersburg, Russia, during the Group of Eight summit. "There has been a real hesitation to put the real truth of this situation."
In previous days, Blair had avoided apportioning blame for the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah fighters in southern Lebanon, urging both sides to halt the violence. Today, he said Iran and Syria were backing "extremists" in the region who want to derail efforts to strengthen democracy in Lebanon.
The comments lend support to Bush, who alone among G-8 leaders meeting in Russia had previously named Iran and Syria as the underlying cause of the violence. The price of crude oil has risen to a record amid concerns that the conflict may broaden to take in other countries in the region. Read more
db: It's clear that UK foreign policy and national interest has been hijacked. Blair joins Bush is pushing a simplistic and dangerous narrative reflecting their neoconservative credentials rather than the "real truth" that the UK PM refers to above.
Last night both leaders went so far as to block a ceasefire call from the UN Security Council - despite both governments having many nationals stranded in Lebanon. Is this perhaps significant?
posted by exoplanet at 3:34 PM
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