American Politics Journal

The View From Europe
A New Best Friend for Bush
By Nicola Mitchell

July 18, 2001 -- LONDON (APJP) -- Now for all I've said about Bush in the past, I am now prepared to swallow my pride and salute the man for his bravery. I mean, there can be no other word for a man who flies against the face of world opinion by going ahead with missile defence tests, and then plans a trip to a continent completely against them -- all in the same week. To me that spells bravery, bravery or stupidity, and to be honest I'm leaning towards the latter.

For a man who claims to be the leader of the free world -- although recent reports in the New York Times have cast yet further doubts on the validity of his presidency thanks to dubious use of absentee voting laws -- his lack of tact and diplomacy never ceases to amaze me.

In a week in which he plans to attend the G8 summit in Genoa, he remains determined to further isolate European leaders as he pushes for a completion to his Son of Star Wars plan without a thought to the Anti Ballistic Missile Treaty, or the consequences it could bring. Not only that, but he has also failed to fulfil his promise of come to a compromise on the Kyoto agreement, a move which will do nothing to bolster his already threadbare credibility with European leaders.

When he arrives at the summit, he may be the most hated man in the room, but out of the wilderness has emerged a knight in shinning armour. For it now seems that Mr Bush has found himself an ally in the shape of none other than our very own prime minister, Tony Blair.

The lengths to which the pair are prepared to go to consolidate their relationship is causing much unrest among both British MP's and voters alike. In preparation for his trip to England before the G8 summit, Bush has continually droned on about how much he values his relationship with Britain, and Blair has been only too willing to return the favour.

Earlier this week it was reported that Britain had taken the unprecedented step of presenting the president with a personal gift for the duration of his presidency. The British ambassador, Sir Christopher Meyer, gave Dubya a bust of former British prime minister Sir Winston Churchill, an item that forms part of the government art collection. No other president has ever received such a gift, not even Clinton with whom Blair was well known to have a good relationship.

And while the pair continue to get cosy, patience is beginning to wear very thin as Blair still insists it is too early to respond publicly on Bush's missile defence strategy. This response certainly cannot hold for much longer as plans look set to go ahead for another series of missile defence tests off Alaska.

But no matter how much Blair tries to dodge the issue, it is becoming increasingly clear where his loyalties lie, and it looks ever more certain he will fall in line behind Bush.

So all we can do is wait. Bush is due in Britain later this week, giving the pair a chance to bond even further. Perhaps Blair could ask why the Britons arrested for protesting at the site of the most recent missile test are facing such harsh penalties, but then again I'm sure Blair won't want to do anything to jeopardise his new friendship, as it is becoming ever more obvious he doesn't have many left in his own country.