Nah, we didn't mean it. What we meant to say was "Help us!"
Quote:
Tony Blair has urged George Bush to make a dramatic U-turn by drawing Iran and Syria into efforts to bring stability to Iraq and forge a long-term peace in the wider Middle East.
The Prime Minister joined a clamour in Washington for the US President to drop his hardline approach towards what he regards as two rogue states. In his annual foreign affairs speech to the Lord Mayor's Banquet last night, Mr Blair offered Iran a "clear strategic choice" - a partnership if it stops supporting terrorism in Lebanon and Iraq and accepts its international obligations, or isolation if it did not. His advisers said the same choice applied to Syria.
MPs believe Mr Blair is seeking to exert leverage on President Bush over the Middle East at a time when he is weakened domestically and the influence of his neoconservative allies has waned. One Labour source described next month's Study Group report as Mr Bush's "get out of jail card". It is also likely to call for a phased withdrawal of foreign troops from Iraq.
But there are signs that the Prime Minister and the President are at odds over Iran and Syria, with Mr Bush declaring that Iran must first halt its nuclear programme. "If Iranians want to have a dialogue, they must verifiably suspend their enrichment activities," he said.
The Prime Minister joined a clamour in Washington for the US President to drop his hardline approach towards what he regards as two rogue states. In his annual foreign affairs speech to the Lord Mayor's Banquet last night, Mr Blair offered Iran a "clear strategic choice" - a partnership if it stops supporting terrorism in Lebanon and Iraq and accepts its international obligations, or isolation if it did not. His advisers said the same choice applied to Syria.
MPs believe Mr Blair is seeking to exert leverage on President Bush over the Middle East at a time when he is weakened domestically and the influence of his neoconservative allies has waned. One Labour source described next month's Study Group report as Mr Bush's "get out of jail card". It is also likely to call for a phased withdrawal of foreign troops from Iraq.
But there are signs that the Prime Minister and the President are at odds over Iran and Syria, with Mr Bush declaring that Iran must first halt its nuclear programme. "If Iranians want to have a dialogue, they must verifiably suspend their enrichment activities," he said.
Now, this might come to absolutely nothing. Bush might tell Blair "Yo Blair, shut the fUck up, ******! I ain't getting jiggy with no A-rabs."
But, in his infinite wisdom, Blair might tell him they are not Arabs, and that it's the least worst thing to do. And Bush might listen. Not to Blair, of course, but to his advisors telling him the same thing.
Don't get me wrong, i think it's a good thing. Talking. Much better than blocking your ears and pretending they don't exist. But I don't think the "threatening them with sanction" is the best way to make them help us.
Let's face it. If we, the West, are ever gonna sort out some of the ME's throniest issues, we're gonna need the help of Iran (for Iraq, Palestine), and Syria (for Lebanon and Hezbollah).
So, time to put down the gun, and pick up the phone?