Matt T

An important article by Martin Wolf in today's FT (unfortunately it is subscription only) makes a point that I have been making (less successfully), that this is not only the 'defining moment' for the EU, Nato and the UN, but also the UK and US 'special relationship'. Will this for the British political establishment what Suez was for the French -- the moment when they realise they can never trust the US?

Wolf argues:

"European unity may in fact be closer than many suppose, as a result of Mr Blair's strategy. The UK is no longer a bridge between the US and Europe but is now anchored, by Mr Blair's choice, to the US end. If this decision, taken against the wishes of a large part of his own party and the country, is perceived to be a disaster, the UK's long-standing policy of aligning itself with the US will be tested to breaking point. One outcome could be the end of Mr Blair's career. Another could be a decision by the British elite that safety now lies with the countervailing coalition. That, in turn, would greatly enhance Europe's capacity and will to pursue an independent policy."

Wolf continues:

"I am saying that if the US behaves solely as a 19th-century power - be it liberal imperialist or nationalist - of a kind it once abhorred, it will promote a 19th-century world. Examples matter; great examples matter greatly. The American people must ask themselves whether this truly is the world they wish to inhabit."

posted by Matthew @ 3/12/2003 11:01:00 AM Comments: 0