The Dangerous World After Tony Blair

Tony Blair (photo) is leaving and I'm really quite sad. True, the British Prime Minister is liberal on a huge list of social and economic issues, but he is so very right about the single most important issue facing Western Civilization -- the war against Islamic Fascist terror. With his departure, now just weeks away, Blair has been seen frequently on US news networks discussing his legacy. The issue that comes up most often is the war in Iraq.

His sound bites on the issue have been powerful and carry the important themes:

* This is not a war the West has asked for, but one in which we have been forced to fight. It is foolish to believe that we can leave Iraq and our problems would go with it. His reoccurring theme is that we didn't start this war, but we have no choice but to finish it.

* "This is not a clash between civilizations. It is a clash about civilization." I love this quote and this is what I mean by Blair "getting it" where others clearly don't. Islamic fascists attacked us, not the other way around. This a war that will only go away when it is won.

* "Some say if we act, we become a target. The truth is, all nations are targets. Bali was never in the front line of action against terrorism. America didn't attack al Qaeda. They attacked America." This is in specific reference to Iraq in his now famous "The War with Iraq" speech. Most people around the world, including many of our leaders, don't realize that the war in Iraq only allows to control where this war is fought. The declaration of war was done by our enemies, all we can hope to do is finish it.

Tony Blair is great, but I'm fairly sure that Labor will go a different direction under the new leadership. George Bush isn't the only one who lost a good friend with Blair's decision to leave, but so has every civilized nation around the world.