Newsview: Bush loyalty yet to help Blair

[struggle4progress]

TOM RAUM

Associated Press


WASHINGTON - For Tony Blair, the price of supporting President Bush on Iraq has been high: loss of public trust and sharp election setbacks for his Labour Party. If any leader seemed due some political payback, Blair would be the one.

Yet, the British prime minister still has little to show for his steadfast loyalty to Bush.

On Tuesday, Blair came looking for more U.S. aid on African famine relief and for American concessions on global warming, the two subjects he hopes to highlight when he hosts a meeting of eight wealthy democracies next month in Gleneagles, Scotland.

The two leaders said they were close to agreement on a plan to forgive 100 percent of the debt for certain developing African countries, and Bush pledged a more immediate $674 million for famine relief. But the overall U.S. response wasn't as generous as Blair had sought. And Bush offered Blair little support on mobilizing world leaders on climate change. <snip>

http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/breaking_news/11837995.htm

Unfortunately, this is the deal, Tony: when you agree to play poodle, you don't really get to pick the haircut, the ribbon, the food, and whether you get "fixed" ...

[Dudley_DUright]

1. For BushCo, loyalty is always one way