# Tony Blair acknowledges that his partnership with George Bush is very unpopular at... **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 12, 2004, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tony-blair-acknowledges-that-his-partnership-with-george-bush-is-very-unpopular-at/274461 "2004-11-12T22:04:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2004, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tony-blair-acknowledges-that-his-partnership-with-george-bush-is-very-unpopular-at/274461/1 "2004-11-12T22:04:59Z")
home. Yet he maintains it. So basically Our Prime Minister admits to doing something most of the people of his country don’t like, says he’s going to keep doing it, and even says he’s not going to apologise for it. Nice. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2004, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tony-blair-acknowledges-that-his-partnership-with-george-bush-is-very-unpopular-at/274461/2 "2004-11-12T22:07:35Z")
Because he knows it’s the correct thing to do. Good for him. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2004, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tony-blair-acknowledges-that-his-partnership-with-george-bush-is-very-unpopular-at/274461/3 "2004-11-12T22:08:27Z")
It’s called leadership. To quote another great British PM, “now is no time to go wobbly.” ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2004, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tony-blair-acknowledges-that-his-partnership-with-george-bush-is-very-unpopular-at/274461/4 "2004-11-12T22:10:42Z")
While I feel it was quite obviously the WRONG thing to do (invade Iraq) I don’t understand why Blair should apologize if he thinks it is the right thing to do. In fact, it seems to me that Blair should be commended for publicly stating that he has chosen to pursue what he knows to be an unpopular path. At least he’s honest. The OP seems to imply that Blair should run the country based on opinion polls. That’s nuts. Blair should run the country in whatever manner he and his Cabinet, and ultimately his party, see fit. If the British public doesn’t like it, they can throw him out of office at the next election and elect a new government. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2004, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tony-blair-acknowledges-that-his-partnership-with-george-bush-is-very-unpopular-at/274461/5 "2004-11-12T22:11:37Z")
That sounds like a Career Limiting Move, if I ever heard one. Maybe he is just steadfast, staying the course, being resolute, acting on faith. On the one hand, I respect loyalty to allies, on the other, well hell I don’t know. Maybe your elections will go differently from ours. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2004, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tony-blair-acknowledges-that-his-partnership-with-george-bush-is-very-unpopular-at/274461/6 "2004-11-12T22:12:09Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Because he knows it’s the correct thing to do. It’s the only thing to do. I don’t know whether to feel sorry for him or be disappointed in him. I happen to think Bush’s re-election is a very bad thing. It puts A large number of Americans in a very bad light (you re-elected a lying cheating calculating imbecile) Bad on him. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2004, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tony-blair-acknowledges-that-his-partnership-with-george-bush-is-very-unpopular-at/274461/7 "2004-11-12T22:13:09Z")
Happily, none of us gives a fuck what foreigners think of our choices. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2004, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tony-blair-acknowledges-that-his-partnership-with-george-bush-is-very-unpopular-at/274461/8 "2004-11-12T22:14:01Z")
I know Blair has little or no choice in the matter. I am just saying it’s a very dire situation when a country’s leader has to keep up a policy that the vast majority of it’s people disagree with. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2004, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tony-blair-acknowledges-that-his-partnership-with-george-bush-is-very-unpopular-at/274461/9 "2004-11-12T22:15:40Z")
> [@manhattan](#): > > Happily, none of us gives a fuck what foreigners think of our choices. Yet you fuck about with the lives of ‘foreigners’. This kind of attitude puts you in a very bad light. “I don’t care what you think” is not the most attractive attitude. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2004, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tony-blair-acknowledges-that-his-partnership-with-george-bush-is-very-unpopular-at/274461/10 "2004-11-12T22:41:09Z")
**manhattan:** _Happily, none of us gives a fuck what foreigners think of our choices._ Yet we often get all upset when other countries make choices that we disapprove of. Bit of a double standard, that. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2004, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tony-blair-acknowledges-that-his-partnership-with-george-bush-is-very-unpopular-at/274461/11 "2004-11-12T22:49:40Z")
> [@manhattan](#): > > Happily, none of us gives a fuck what foreigners think of our choices. Speak for yourself. I never take an action without checking with the Icelandics. ---
**Author:** ![Ryan\_Liam](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ryan_liam/32/3965_2.png) [@Ryan\_Liam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ryan_Liam)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2004, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tony-blair-acknowledges-that-his-partnership-with-george-bush-is-very-unpopular-at/274461/12 "2004-11-12T22:56:41Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > home. Yet he maintains it. > So basically Our Prime Minister admits to doing something most of the people of his country don’t like, says he’s going to keep doing it, and even says he’s not going to apologise for it. > > Nice. Who always says the majority of the nation knows whats best for them. Look, we all have to acknowledge that sometimes our leader will do unpopular things in the short term to benefit the long term. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2004, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tony-blair-acknowledges-that-his-partnership-with-george-bush-is-very-unpopular-at/274461/13 "2004-11-12T23:02:22Z")
> [@manhattan](#): > > Happily, none of us gives a fuck what foreigners think of our choices. Well, I guess that’s one way to win hearts and minds. To all others - this person does not speak for all of us. While I would never say we should take orders from other countries, we should hear what they think. The most honest and impartial advice comes from those with no vested interest. When your historical “best friends” start to shy away, just maybe something is going on. That’s not a “global test”, just plain old common sense. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2004, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tony-blair-acknowledges-that-his-partnership-with-george-bush-is-very-unpopular-at/274461/14 "2004-11-12T23:03:55Z")
> [@Ryan\_Liam](#): > > Who always says the majority of the nation knows whats best for them. Look, we all have to acknowledge that sometimes our leader will do unpopular things in the short term to benefit the long term. But will it benefit anyone in the long term? Iraqi life is arguably much worse now than it was under Saddam, and may continue to be indefinately. This war was a mistake. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2004, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tony-blair-acknowledges-that-his-partnership-with-george-bush-is-very-unpopular-at/274461/15 "2004-11-12T23:06:51Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > **manhattan:** _Happily, none of us gives a fuck what foreigners think of our choices._ > > Yet we often get all upset when other countries make choices that we disapprove of. Bit of a double standard, that. You’re right of course, and my remark was overly flip. In fact, none of us gives a fuck what **Lobsang** thinks. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2004, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tony-blair-acknowledges-that-his-partnership-with-george-bush-is-very-unpopular-at/274461/16 "2004-11-12T23:08:42Z")
> [@manhattan](#): > > You’re right of course, and my remark was overly flip. In fact, none of us gives a fuck what **Lobsang** thinks. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2004, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tony-blair-acknowledges-that-his-partnership-with-george-bush-is-very-unpopular-at/274461/17 "2004-11-12T23:16:15Z")
> [@manhattan](#): > > Happily, none of us gives a fuck what foreigners think of our choices. I do. If nothing else, there’s 300 million of us, 5.7 billion of them. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2004, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tony-blair-acknowledges-that-his-partnership-with-george-bush-is-very-unpopular-at/274461/18 "2004-11-12T23:25:41Z")
**manhattan** doesn’t care what I think. I can live with that (Although I have to wonder why he bothered to reply if he doesn’t care) But does he care that what I think, or some variation of it, is what most people with TVs outside America thinks? And did he get the permission of the rest of ‘us’ to say on their behalf that they don’t care either? The whole world IS taken aback by the fact that half of Americans voted GWB back despite his incpompetent running of the country, despite his incompetent running of his war, despite his obvious on-screen lack of any discernable intelligence. They voted because he’s George Bush. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2004, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tony-blair-acknowledges-that-his-partnership-with-george-bush-is-very-unpopular-at/274461/19 "2004-11-13T00:01:46Z")
It depends on what the meaning of “us” is. **Manny** , perhaps you’d favor us with a clarification? ---
**Author:** ![Bruce\_Daddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@Bruce\_Daddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bruce_Daddy)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2004, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tony-blair-acknowledges-that-his-partnership-with-george-bush-is-very-unpopular-at/274461/20 "2004-11-13T00:05:29Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > Iraqi life is arguably much worse now than it was under Saddam, and may continue to be indefinately. [Maybe not](http://zogby.com/features/features.dbm?ID=206). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tony-blair-acknowledges-that-his-partnership-with-george-bush-is-very-unpopular-at/274461.md?page=2)