Maybe I should move to Britain?

03.06.2004

Why can't this guy be my president?

No decision I have ever made in politics has been as divisive as the decision to go to war to in Iraq. It remains deeply divisive today. I know a large part of the public want to move on. Rightly they say the Government should concentrate on the issues that elected us in 1997: the economy, jobs, living standards, health, education, crime. I share that view, and we are. But I know too that the nature of this issue over Iraq, stirring such bitter emotions as it does, can't just be swept away as ill-fitting the pre-occupations of the man and woman on the street. This is not simply because of the gravity of war; or the continued engagement of British troops and civilians in Iraq; or even because of reflections made on the integrity of the Prime Minister. It is because it was in March 2003 and remains my fervent view that the nature of the global threat we face in Britain and round the world is real and existential and it is the task of leadership to expose it and fight it, whatever the political cost; and that the true danger is not to any single politician's reputation, but to our country if we now ignore this threat or erase it from the agenda in embarrassment at the difficulties it causes.

Eloquent in just the right direction. Read the whole thing. Seriously, why can't we have strong, moral, eloquent leaders? I'm stuck between having to vote for a right-of-center character who keeps putting his own feet in his mouth — and a vascillating liberal who's endorsed by Iran's reactionary mullahs & Kim Jong Il.

I don't want to have to choose between my liberal domestic politics & ensuring the West survives long enough to make the dream reality. Christ help us in November.

Posted by Miguel at 03:41 PM

Comments

here, here!

Posted by: tom at March 6, 2004 07:30 PM

I remember thinking exactly the same thing right after September 11, Blair's speech in response to the event was so much more eloquent and to the point than Bush's. Not that that's surprising, but it makes you wish for the days when our leaders were good orators who inspired people in the face of a crisis or important decision.

Posted by: Grant at March 8, 2004 01:51 PM