Tony Blair (The Growth Experience of a World-Class Leader)

Author: Philip Stephens
Publisher:
Publication Date: 2006-06-01
Features: On March 18, 2003, the British House of Commons was in an uproar. The green benches were filled with people. Tony Blair was preparing to involve Britain in the war against Iraq launched by George W. Bush. A few weeks earlier, the prime minister's diplomatic efforts at the United Nations had failed, leaving him feeling bewildered, exhausted, and frustrated, but he had decided to proceed anyway. Yet the British public was opposed to sacrificing soldiers' lives to overthrow Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq. Within his left-leaning Labor Party, a strong anti-Republican sentiment toward the White House president was intertwined with doubts about the justification for war. Even when British troops had gathered at the border between Kuwait and Iraq, Blair still faced increasing resistance from former supporters. A senior official in Blair's government, former Foreign Secretary Robin Cook, had already resigned. Other ministers were also preparing to resign. Many Labor Party MPs planned to vote against their government. Beyond Westminster, friendly relations with important European allies had also collapsed. In the spring of 2003, during the invasion of Iraq, George W. Bush specially thanked the leader who had consistently supported him in overthrowing Saddam Hussein's regime: "America has gained a deeper understanding of Tony Blair in recent weeks. We know he is a man of his word, a brave man, a man with vision. We are proud to have such a friend." For most Americans, this controversial war was an opportunity to understand the political thought and personality of this outstanding European statesman. Now, in Tony Blair: The Growth of a World Leader, journalist Philip Stephens provides a complete and rich record of this charismatic and influential politician. Philip Stephens—whose career has spanned more than two decades following Blair's career and who has met with and interviewed him on numerous occasions (including a special interview for this book)—traces the prime minister's extraordinary journey: from his middle-class upbringing to finding his beliefs at Oxford, to leading the Labor Party to reclaim the position of ruling party in the face of nearly insurmountable opposition from the Conservative Party. Courage and faith, combined with ruthless political tactics (partly learned from Bill Clinton), shaped Blair. He transformed his country's politics and designed a new form of internationalism for the 21st century. In Britain, he did so by redefining ideology. On the global stage, his belief in politics drove him to engage in actions in Northern Ireland, Kosovo, and the Middle East. Stephens offers a fair assessment of Blair, including both his strengths and weaknesses—whether his overreliance on opinion polls or his sometimes excessive confidence in his own persuasion—and chronicles the intense controversy surrounding the decision to join the Iraq War based on intelligence agency reports. Tony Blair: The Growth of a World Leader is filled with anecdotes and insights, making it the ideal read for American readers to understand this close political partner of Bill Clinton and a loyal ally of George W. Bush.