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December 19, 2006

Blair's Foreign-Policy Aims Stymied By White House Snubs

Tony Blair (left) listens as Bush speaks at a press conference in Washington earlier this month (epa)

December 19, 2006 -- A study says British Prime Minister Tony Blair's foreign-policy ambitions have stalled because he is unable to exert real influence on the White House -- despite offering the U.S. unflinching support.

Victor Bulmer-Thomas, outgoing director of London's Chatham House think tank, says in a study released today that Blair overestimated his political capital in Washington.


The study says "the root failure" of Blair's foreign policy has been its inability to influence the administration of U.S. President George W. Bush, in spite of Britain's sacrifices in the military, political, and financial spheres.


The report also said "Blair has learnt the hard way that loyalty in international politics counts for very little."


The report said Blair's term in office will be defined by the "terrible mistake" of relying on flawed intelligence about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq as a justification for the 2003 U.S.-led invasion.


(AP)


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