More Deaths in Afghanistan

Since the last blog two more soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan. UK Deaths now stand at 68.

Media and the Special Relationship

A look at how the Media has covered the meeting between Bush and Brown:

Guardian: A interesting article that points out that it is not the spin of the Brown that counts but what the UK does, VIEWS still states that the UK will not cut and run from Iraq. Brown wants to win a election and Iraq going to hell in a hand basket would not help his chances. Think mass murder every day on TV from Iraq and the very same reports asking what the UK is going to do to get out of Iraq asking how we can get back in to to save the people of Iraq.

Telegraph: As the article points out, different time, a different British PM and therefore a different Special Relationship,

Iraq Round Up

Here are some interesting articles on Iraq:

Washington Post: A first, a Democrats who has some common sense when it comes to Iraq. The Article reports that the Majority Whip in the House wants the Democrats to hold their fire when it comes to Iraq. There is concern that the up coming report in September could cause major problems for the Democrats if the report is positive.

The New York Times: Has the NYT smelled the coffee and decided to cover itself in case Iraq works. A article that suggests that the USA might win in Iraq. Yes it is in the NYT and it is real.

The Special Relationship

Courtesy of the White House: PM Gordon Brown and President George Bush

30/7/07



I wonder did President George W. Bush miss his old friend Tony Blair over the weekend. The Special Relationship has a new start. Brown has seen how getting to close to President Bush hurt the political prospects for Tony Blair, one of the reasons for his early retirement as PM and of course Iraq. On the other hand the Special Relationship between the USA and UK has always had its ups and downs, Roosevelt/ Churchill. Kennedy/MacMillan, Reagan/Thatcher, Bush/Blair worked. On the other hand, Johnson/ Wilson and Clinton/ Major was on the down side, Wilson would not get in to Vietnam, wise move, and Major was a Conservative while Clinton was a Democrat, different views of politics.

It can be argued that Brown and Bush have to much to lose to go different paths, we are in two theatres of War together, Iraq and Afghanistan. It does not matter how they get on in the personal relationship side, what counts is their national interest that will decided Foreign Policy. The UK might want to get out of Iraq but it can not afford to push the Americans away as we might need them as they are the only super power. Europe has the bluster of France but no spine, real trouble and they fold, in the end there is only the USA and the UK that matter, because when the old tea bags hit the fan its the UK and the USA that has to clean up the mess.