Remember when the Left was all atwitter over the idea that invading Iraq was a distraction from the War on Terror? One of their prime organs has seen fit to revise its view now that Qaddafi has agreed to dismantle his WMD program and Iran has agreed to surprise inspections of its nuclear plants:
Mr. Bush and Mr. Blair are entitled to claim a large share of the credit for Libya’s surprising announcement. To an extent that cannot be precisely measured, the fate of Saddam Hussein, who was ousted from power by the American military with British backing after endless prevaricating about Iraqi weapons programs, must have been an important consideration in Libya’s decision.
With the surly Brits on the verge of sending Tony Blair packing, we hope that this news and the capture of Saddam slaps some sense into them, at least for a while:
So, far from entering 2004 with trepidation, the prime minister will start the new year with good reason to feel both relieved and optimistic.
The strangeness of British politics must owe something to the proximity of France.