I loved this quote from Clare Short, former Blair minister, now bitter old lefty:
“Any pretence that this means that the tactics of their so-called war on terror are succeeding is sadly false. Obviously the news about Gadaffi is welcome, but it has been a long process, and any suggestion that events in Libya are linked to the war in Iraq is unfounded. The co-ordination of the Blair-Bush press conferences claiming a big success in the war on terror has a pathetic tone that reflects Blair’s desperation and the two men’s continuing belief that they can prosecute their war with half-truths and deceptions.”
Did you crack a smile? Even the NYT had to give some credit to the Bush-Blair leadership that got us here. Add in the capture of Saddam – and the comparative calm in Iraq since – and we may have reached a mile-stone in the war on terror. It’s a good moment to re-state that much criticism of the Bush-Blair policy has distorted it. Neither London nor Washington has eschewed diplomacy these past three years. Both leaders tried manfully to get the United Nations to sanction the much-needed liberation of Iraq. Both have cooperated in keeping pressure on Iran and North Korea without resort to arms. Both have engaged diplomatically in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But the use of force in Iraq and Afghanistan has made their diplomacy far, far more credible. Hence the slow climb-down of the French, Germans and Russians over Iraqi debt. Hence Iran’s reluctant acceptance of nuke inspectors. Hence Gaddafi’s volte-face. Hence, the cracking of the Iraqi Baathist thugs who were not amenable to the softly-softly approach during Ramadan. What Bush and Blair realize is that you need to talk but you also need to show strength – especially in the Arab world. Theirs’ is neither a crazed unilateralism nor a shoot-first diplomacy. It’s a pragmatic but determined combination of talk and walk – with the goal of keeping terror and WMDs at arms length from us. So far, so good. There’s a long, long way ahead. But I feel more confident about the war now than at any time since that awful day. I’m not saying we’re past the worst. I don’t know. But I do know we’re making headway. That wasn’t inevitable. And I know who deserves praise for getting us here; and who tried hardest to stop it.
The Dish 