The Federalist Phoenix

Tony Blair and New Labour

As a conservative, one would certainly anticipate that, where British politics are concerned, I would prefer to see Tories in power over the Labour Party.  And that is largely true.  That said, however, I have nothing but the utmost respect and admiration for Tony Blair and those in New Labour who have stood with him.  Tony Blair has been the best friend that this country has had over the past 4 years, better even than the right-leaning governments of other countries like Australia, Italy and Spain (pre-flinch).  That Blair continued to, and still continues, to stand with the United States, even in the face of opposition from his party, in the face of significant parliamentary losses in recent elections, speaks to his own moral fortitude and statesmanship.

Should Tony Blair step down as Prime Minister in the future in favor of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, it would be a great loss to the ranks of great British statesmen.  While no person can hold a candle to the great Winston Churchill, Blair has certainly proved himself worthy of that great tradition in my mind.

London Targeted

This morning's attacks on London certainly show that the War on Terror is not ended.  But it also shows the dangers that attend the accommodations that European nations provide the vast numbers of Arab-Muslim immigrants.  For any number of years, the countries of Europe, especially Western and Northern Europe have actively encouraged Arab-Muslim immigration, and rather than seeking to integrate those immigrants into the life and culture of the home country, their hosts have actually gone to great lengths to encourage these immigrants to retain a separate identity and build almost a culture within a culture.  That has only encouraged more immigration and encouraged and emboldened those within these communities to attack and threaten the countries that have so graciously accepted them.

This War will require that our European allies begin to crack down on their open border policies with the Arab-Muslim world.  The terrorists do not breed followers only in the madrassahs of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Syria.  They are born in the mosques and islamic schools of France and Germany, Holland and Denmark.  Until those governments show themselves willing to look in the mirror and shut down the radicals they have themselves invited into their countries, none of us can be safe.

I am glad to see that the government and people of London and the United Kingdom have not responded to these attacks by going weak in the knees.  The answer is not to withdraw from Iraq, or lose resolve in our Middle East actions, it is to toughen our resolve and to bring even more resources to bear on those who would attack civilians.  Those who committed these attacks are not out for anything but the unconditional surrender of the Western World to the theocratic tyranny of Islam.  Like with Hitler in the 1930s, appeasement will not serve to make the world safe, it will only embolden the attackers and increase their appetite.  The only response to attacks is to stand against them with force.

I would encourage all of us here in the U.S. to find ways to show solidarity with our British cousins and to pray for the dead and injured.

Egypt Meets the Iraqi Insurgency

MSNBC reports that Egypt's chief envoy to democratic Iraq has been kidnapped in Baghdad.

One can only hope that this will wake the Arab world up to the true nature of the insurgency in Iraq.  This is not about the United States, and it is not about occupation.  It is about a disgruntled minority who will do anything to undermine and destroy the democratic institutions that the Iraqi people are trying to establish.  This is about attacking anybody, Christian, Jew, or, yes, Muslim, that provides any sort of aid or support to the Iraqi people.

The State Department should move to coordinate with the Egyptians and the Iraqis to solve this kidnapping, and then seek Egypt's active assistance in pressuring Syria to tighten their borders and cease their active support of the insurgents.  And this incident should be discussed with other Arab states to move them to provide more assistance in the region and in the mission.