Tony Blair and his supporters often emphasis the need to stay close to the American government in order to have influence. Well he's stayed loyal throughout the Bush presidency often against the opinion of his party and the UK population as a whole. What does he have to show for it? Absolutely nothing.
Perhaps it is time to call in the markers. In light of the today's official release of the UK government's report on the economic consequences of climate change, authored by ex-World Bank chief economist Nicholas Stern which estimates the costs of NOT ACTING on climate change to be in the range of 3.5 trillion USD this might be a propitious time to act. Bush's argument, if one can go so far as to call it that, has always been that he will not do anything to harm the American economy. Well if doing nothing harms the American and world economies to this extent perhaps he ought to do something.
Tony - time to sell him mate! (PS - if you're trying to sell Bush and the like on the need for a new treaty and urgent action signing up Al Gore as point person might have been the cleverest move. I think you'll need to do this personally. After all Mr. Gore probably doesn't use the same toothpaste that you and Dubya do!
If you can manage to sell this then, while it will not absolve you of your guilt over Iraq, it may go some way toward redeeming your "legacy".
The complete Stern commision report may be found here.
Perhaps it is time to call in the markers. In light of the today's official release of the UK government's report on the economic consequences of climate change, authored by ex-World Bank chief economist Nicholas Stern which estimates the costs of NOT ACTING on climate change to be in the range of 3.5 trillion USD this might be a propitious time to act. Bush's argument, if one can go so far as to call it that, has always been that he will not do anything to harm the American economy. Well if doing nothing harms the American and world economies to this extent perhaps he ought to do something.
Tony - time to sell him mate! (PS - if you're trying to sell Bush and the like on the need for a new treaty and urgent action signing up Al Gore as point person might have been the cleverest move. I think you'll need to do this personally. After all Mr. Gore probably doesn't use the same toothpaste that you and Dubya do!
If you can manage to sell this then, while it will not absolve you of your guilt over Iraq, it may go some way toward redeeming your "legacy".
The complete Stern commision report may be found here.
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