"Shame on you, Blair"
The sheer gall of Tony Blair sometimes leaves me speechless. Like today.
I was aware that he was swanning his way around the Middle East but I had no idea that he was intending to visit Beirut, the city that he decided not to spare from Israeli bombardment by refusing to call for an immediate ceasefire. It's the equivalent of Bush visiting Fallujah and wondering why the locals seem so hostile.
Blair has received a predictable response from the Lebanese with thousands of demonstrators taking to the streets to let him know how unwanted he is.
Grand Ayatollah Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah called on the government to declare Mr Blair persona non grata.Blair then had the nerve to repeat his mantra about a quick fix solution being untenable, implying that he was right not to call for an immediate ceasefire which drew a cry of, "Shame on you" from many in the crowd.
He said Mr Blair should have been told to stay away so he would "know we are not so naive as to welcome him when he has contributed to killing us and slaughtering our children".
I'd love Blair to spell out why he thinks that the deal achieved after the virtual destruction of Beirut is preferable to the one on the table before the conflict as they are both identical. Indeed, Israel still do not have any of her kidnapped soldiers back and is still going to have to do a prisoner swap in order to get them. The position and reputation of Hizbullah was greatly enhanced by the war and the reputation of Israel was greatly weakened.
But Blair, like Bush, has developed this dreadful habit of thinking that reality is what he says it is rather than what can be deduced from facts on the ground.
Security forces sealed off Beirut's central area, where Mr Blair held talks with Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, with rolls of razor wire.
Up to 5,000 protesters gathered nearby in a stand-off with security forces, shouting slogans and waving banners describing Mr Blair as a "killer" and "war criminal".
"Tony Blair supports America and Israel and has supported the war, so how can we welcome him here?" said 21-year-old hotel worker Ali Shahine, who was among the protesters.Lebanese newspapers have been carrying headlines saying Mr Blair is not welcome in Lebanon.
At a joint new conference with Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, Mr Blair admitted his policies were controversial, both at home and in the Arab world, but he expressed "deep sympathy" for those who had lost family members in the Israeli bombing.
Mr Siniora praised the demonstrators for expressing their criticism in a democratic fashion within the law, a view echoed by his UK counterpart.
Lebanon's most senior Shia cleric had tried to have the visit cancelled and several Shia officials refused to attend meetings with Mr Blair, including the speaker of parliament and two Hezbollah ministers.
Most politicians towards the end of their time in office come to favour foreign travel as one of the few ways in which they can still feel the adoration of the crowd.
I'd understand if, after the pressure of the past few days, Blair had a sudden urge to visit Washington where he is always warmly welcomed. But to go to Beirut!? After all the damage that allowed to be done there?!
It simply beggars belief. It's a bit like this welcome given to Dick Cheney after Katrina. In case you have difficulty hearing what is said it's "Go f#ck yourself, Mr Cheney. Go f#ck yourself."
Blair should be relieved that the Lebanese were so polite.
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1 comment:
Like yourself, I am full of admiration for the guy who had the balls to simply tell him to go F himself.
It's scandalous that they have got away with ruining the US financially - with the biggest deficit in your history - and, more importantly, in the eyes of the world as a country that stands for principles.
The damage they have wreaked will take decades to repair.
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