oh and:
The hatred of Blair is over the top High-profile book launches are meant to be a bit of a circus. But it is hard to find a parallel for the mixture of hype and hatred that will attend the publication of Tony Blair's memoirs on Wednesday. (...) For many of the most ardent Blair-haters in Britain, however, a discussion of political style is beside the point. Their indictment comes down to a single word: Iraq. And yet, for all the horrors that flowed from the 2003 invasion, the hatred and contempt that is directed at Mr Blair is way over the top. He probably made the wrong call in backing the American-led campaign. Even by the most cautious estimates, about 100,000 civilians have died in Iraq since the invasion. Millions have been turned into refugees. And as American troops withdraw, there is a significant chance that the country will slide back into civil war. But Mr Blair made his fateful decision on Iraq for reasons that were both honourable and understandable. Most of the leading figures in British politics - in both main parties - agreed with him. Robin Cook, the former Labour foreign secretary, was unusual in speaking out against the plans for war. So the decision to back the invasion was not an isolated act of Blair-inspired lunacy. It reflected the conventional wisdom of the British political establishment. It is clear, in retrospect, that, after easy military victories in Kosovo and Bosnia, Mr Blair became dangerously complacent about the risks of military action in Iraq. But he was hardly alone in his misjudgment. The years after the Kosovo war were the heyday of liberal interventionism on both sides of the Atlantic and on both sides of the political spectrum - fed by guilt at the west's reluctance to intervene in Rwanda and the Balkans.
High-profile book launches are meant to be a bit of a circus. But it is hard to find a parallel for the mixture of hype and hatred that will attend the publication of Tony Blair's memoirs on Wednesday.
(...)
For many of the most ardent Blair-haters in Britain, however, a discussion of political style is beside the point. Their indictment comes down to a single word: Iraq.
And yet, for all the horrors that flowed from the 2003 invasion, the hatred and contempt that is directed at Mr Blair is way over the top. He probably made the wrong call in backing the American-led campaign. Even by the most cautious estimates, about 100,000 civilians have died in Iraq since the invasion. Millions have been turned into refugees. And as American troops withdraw, there is a significant chance that the country will slide back into civil war.
But Mr Blair made his fateful decision on Iraq for reasons that were both honourable and understandable. Most of the leading figures in British politics - in both main parties - agreed with him. Robin Cook, the former Labour foreign secretary, was unusual in speaking out against the plans for war. So the decision to back the invasion was not an isolated act of Blair-inspired lunacy. It reflected the conventional wisdom of the British political establishment.
It is clear, in retrospect, that, after easy military victories in Kosovo and Bosnia, Mr Blair became dangerously complacent about the risks of military action in Iraq. But he was hardly alone in his misjudgment. The years after the Kosovo war were the heyday of liberal interventionism on both sides of the Atlantic and on both sides of the political spectrum - fed by guilt at the west's reluctance to intervene in Rwanda and the Balkans.
Shorter Rachman: Serious People are Serious People.
and the cherry on top:
My guess is that, in a few years' time, the Blair years will be remembered for a lot more than Iraq. They will be seen as a period of prosperity and optimism in Britain - certainly compared with what was to come. In 20 years' time many Britons may look back on the Blair era with considerable nostalgia.
Maybe you remember the party rather than the hangover; but do you remember the party over the ethylic coma? Wind power
So the decision to back the invasion was not an isolated act of Blair-inspired lunacy. It reflected the conventional wisdom of the British political establishment.
Unintentional irony - always the best kind.
