Britain, the Obama Trail and Rookie Tag

A top Obama aid, Susan Rice {no relation to Condoleezza Rice}, has indicated that that there will be no easy ride for Europe if there is an Obama Presidency. Rice, who may become the next National Security Advisor, expects a bigger contribution from Europe. If the future is an expansion of military operations in Afghanistan then Europe must play its part.

Such remarks do not chime well in Britain. Much of the work in Afghanistan has fallen on NATO in recent years. By far the biggest chunk of NATO’s Afghan operations, are performed by British troops. Short of military draft there is little more this small island can do. And here lies the difficulty facing the next person forming the next US administration.

The former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair claimed that Britain’s participation in America’s “war on terror” would allow Britain to bring influence to bear on the US administration. It has now emerged that Blair exercised no influence over the Bush administration whatsoever, other than to sing in harmony. It has been a humiliating exercise for Britain. It would be political suicide for any British leader to repeat such unquestioning compliance to the will of the United States - however deserving the arguments may be to do so.

Certainly, Barak Obama and Susan Rice will not find such compliance from David Cameron. Cameron is the leader of the British Conservative Party and is very likely to be Britain’s Prime Minister within the next two years.

David Cameron

 

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