Reply #17: This is what Blair's doing:

[AP]

If the UK didn't get involved in Iraq, the US would be in there all by themselves fucking it up for a generation. Europe is on the way to some pretty quick economic growth and will need ME oil in the next generation to fuel that growth. The EU has an economy which is actually very liberal & concerned with promoting social justice (because that's good for economies). They also take monopolies very seriously (remember how they wouldn't roll over for the GE-Marconi merger. That probably pissed Bush off more than anything. Well, the US doesn't want to compete with a functioning, competitive European economy. Because, that would mean no more tax cuts for the rich, good public education, and Democrats who don't hand the wealth of the nation over to the already wealthy getting elected from hear to the horizon. So, Bush wants to sabotage Europe. Blair is standing up to Bush by staying close to Bush. (Keep your friends closer. Keep your enemies closer.) Blair's strategy is to keep an eye on the US. Prevent Iraq, to the extent possible, from falling into miserable chaos. Hold out to a Democrat gets elected. And hold on to government until that happens. The US wants to get the EU economy by the short hairs. Just like in CA, Venezuela, wherever, Republicans think that they can ruin economies and then pretend that it's the fault of the liberal governments. Blair is trying to prevent that.