It didn't help poor Tory Blur, either. There he is strutting the world stage, being all relevant and stuff, and now it transpires the US don't care either way.
I picture political cartoonists in the UK and elsewhere drawing pictures of Rumsfeld putting the poodle in the doghouse.
Blair looks desperate, but he's snubbed again!
***** No Consensus Reached on British Proposal
Thursday March 13, 2003 3:40 AM
UNITED NATIONS (AP) - ...Britain, a key ally, proposed a ``to-do'' list for Saddam Hussein - six steps to avert war - in hopes of gaining votes for the resolution, which faces the threat of French and Russian vetoes. The British were expecting the United States and Spain to co-sponsor the proposal, but they didn't [:-i].
So Britain was left alone to present the plan to the Security Council. British diplomats are desperate to get U.N. approval for military action to avert a political uproar that threatens the career of Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Council diplomats said Washington had some problems with the so-called benchmarks....
The bitterly divided council discussed the British proposal for 3 hours Wednesday evening without reaching any consensus, and agreed to meet again Thursday afternoon....
<http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-2476236,00.html> *****
There's a sensible proposal in letters to the Guardian:
***** Letters
The dark age of Rumsfeld
Thursday March 13, 2003 The Guardian
* Rumsfeld spoke the truth - America doesn't need the UK for this war, never did need us and will go ahead regardless.
This ought to serve as a wake-up call to UK delusions about our "special relationship".
Still, if even Rumsfeld assumes that without the second mandate Blair will not be able to go ahead, at least we have every reason to withdraw and Ms Short won't need to resign either.
Heather Harvey
Bedford
* ...Now that Donald Rumsfeld agrees with the February 15 peace protesters, the 122 rebel Labour MPs, members of Blair's cabinet (overt and covert), the UN weapons inspectors and the UN security council - that there is no reason for British troops to fight in Iraq - is it not time for Tony Blair to face this single, obvious fact, which is now staring him full in the face?
David Connor
Peterborough
* Donald Rumsfeld's comments provide Tony Blair with the wiggle room that he may have been looking for. If he does not take it he really has lost his touch. He could come out of this looking like a hero of democracy and an upholder of the rule of international law, leaving Bush and his cronies swinging in the wind.
Ian Parsons
Bradford...
<http://www.guardian.co.uk/Print/0,3858,4623922,00.html> *****
Why would Blair not want to seize an opportunity provided by Rumsfeld, bring the British troops home, and save his political career?
--
Yoshie
* Calendar of Events in Columbus: <http://www.osu.edu/students/sif/calendar.html>
* Student International Forum: <http://www.osu.edu/students/sif/>
* Committee for Justice in Palestine: <http://www.osudivest.org/>
* Al-Awda-Ohio: <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Al-Awda-Ohio>
* Solidarity: <http://solidarity.igc.org/>
