September 14, 2006

Blair: We Need U.S. Involvement

Tony Blair tries his best, but the poor guy is beating his head against the wall:

"The danger is if they decide to pull up the drawbridge and disengage. We need them involved," Blair said, spelling out his political vision in a pamphlet published by The Foreign Policy Center think-tank.

"The strain of, frankly, anti-American feeling in parts of European politics is madness when set against the long-term interests of the world we believe in," he said.

[...]

Responding to those who have criticized the White House, Blair said in his pamphlet: "The danger with America today is not that they are too much involved."

"We want them engaged. The reality is that none of the problems that press in on us can be resolved or even contemplated without them," he added.

Frankly, it's tempting to let Europe rot. I'd love to pull out of world affairs and watch them mire down in their own incompetence. But that's not our way...and the problems that face Europe eventually affect us.