UK: Prime Minister Blair

Philip Terzian comments on the posting about the unpopularity of British Prime Minister Blair because of his support for the plan of President Bush to attack Iraq: "This is news? The British Left has always been hostile to the United States, especially since 1945, and the Right has always been contemptuous of vulgar Americans. For examples, read Kingsley Amis's account of his sabbatical year at Vanderbilt, or recall Denis Healey's plea to defeat Reagan in 1984 in order to mollify Chairman Andropov. Tony Blair is usually criticized for his rigid adherence to polls; now, when he is defying (or leading?) public opinion, he is condemned for not following the polls. I concede: America can't win against sophistry like this".

RH. I think Philip exaggerates. There is criticism of US policies, but the critics make clear that this is not a criticism of America, for which there is great goodwill in Britain. My mother was proud that her birthday was July 4. It is likewise unfair to say that critics of Israel and the Sharon government are anti-Semitic. I know little about Sir Kingsley Amis (1922-1995); he was knighted for his writing, so someone must think he has merit. His first novel, Lucky Jim (1954), a satire on education, made him famous as one of England's angry young men. Can Philip tell us where he wrote about Vanderbilt and what he said? It was presumably ungracious, but I would not take the opinion of a satirist too seriously. Kingsley Amis was a friend and collaborator of WAISer Robert Conquest. I wonder if Bob has any opinion on this.

Ronald Hilton - 2/12/03