Posts About UK
Style over Substance, Unfinished Plans
Tony Blair has managed to present himself as a flexible politician while choosing politics over policy. He promised to be a grand modernizer and many of his achievements are noteworthy. But the past 10 years have seen more media spin than effective reform; Britain has moved away from Europe and lost economic competitiveness.
Stark Reality is Running Iran
About 11 days ago, 15 members of a foreign naval force, bearing arms, in uniform and the British flag, in service of Her Majesty’s Government, had trespassed into Iranian waters. Despite British attempts at disinformation, they did not bear the UN flag, and what unfolded was another round of media spin.
Kingdoms More Stable Than Republics
With the way the Arab world has gone, a stable, serious and relatively open monarchy is more favorable than a supposed republic. Powerful positions are granted to leaders' sons in Syria, Egypt and Libya while the Kingdoms of Jordan, Bahrain and Morocco enjoy the most serious democratization in the region.
The Costs of Iran’s Political Pageantry
Ahmadinejad's recent pageantry reminds me of what one European Ambassador in Tehran once told me: “You know the thing about Iran. It has such a rich culture, a grand history...incredible poets, musicians and filmmakers…But it’s cursed with such lousy politicians.”
