File spoon-archives/lyotard.archive/lyotard_2003/lyotard.0302, message 76


Date: Sun, 16 Feb 2003 20:30:33 +0000
From: "steve.devos" <steve.devos-AT-krokodile.co.uk>
Subject: Re: GLOBAL PEACE DEMONSTRATIONS


Judy...

The usually spoken of successor for blair is gorden brown who is keeping 
a significant difference between himself and the colonial activity - but 
anything could happen, and there are many candidates. But none of the 
Bush/Blair vocal fellow travellers will be the one.

Pakistan is another client state of the usa like israel, given that at 
50% of the reason for the existence of the Taliban in Afghanistan was 
there's and the other 45% in Washington. The situation in Turkey will 
remain like this until it finally gains entrance into the EC - which is 
precisely why they are so desperate to join...

As for the Blair/UK relationship with Washington - a number of things 
immediately spring to mind. Firstly that UK govenments have worked the 
Mid-Atlantic position for decades hoping to maintain 
social-and-political power on the global stage from such a position, 
bartering the special relationship.... terribly sad. Secondly Blair 
assumed, misreading the situation like Chomsky interestingly enough, 
that people and politicians would read this Iraq war as a new event 
rather than a ten year cycle of war and agression, the willful murder of 
women and children through refusing to supply medical supplies simply 
was not forgotton. Consequently I'd suggest that Blair assumed that the 
society of the spectacle guaranteed the transience of memory and would 
make people forget who was actually allowing the children to die... The 
interesting issue is not related to the client states but how far the 
European states can push the allaince against and towards being a 
counter balance...

regards
steve



Judy wrote:

>> Hugh/All
>>
>> The actual context of Blair's statement is that he is now being 
>> progressively isolated within his own government, let alone party or 
>> country.  The 2M people on the streets of London were predominantly 
>> from what should be his natural supporters. ....
>
>
>
> steve, and anyone, what's your sense of who the political 
> beneficiaries of this will be?  any idea who the likely challengers of 
> Blair will be, and who may replace him?
>
>
>
>> He simply got  the political drift wrong. I'd estimate summer or 
>> autumn at the latest- at which point Blair will be political history
>
>
>
> I wonder if there will be similar consequences eventually for the 
> leaders of other countries who are going along with the US agenda 
> despite overwhelming popular objection.  The dependence of Turkey on 
> IMF loans has been reported as the factor which explains their 
> leaders' reluctant acceptance of US demands.  Pakistan's situation is 
> similar.  Is Blair also being bought off/blackmailed I wonder?
>
> Judy




   

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