BLAIR'S POWER PLAY

18-01-2007

Tony Blair has called for a debate on Britain's future role as a military power. Well, you asked for it, says John Mellor

Our Prime Minister is back in England, in between flights to various warm climates. He has had time to make a speech calling for the role of Britain to be redefined in the world.

He has done so many millions of miles jetting about the globe he now
seems to have delusions.Britain is no longer a great imperial power, yet he poses in front of cameras in every continent, asserting what he imagines to be the "role of Britain" in the world.

He is received by other leaders, but they know that Britain is no longer master of seas, or skies, and is pretending to have an importance it no longer possess. Mr Blair has led us into five different armed combats, straining the good will of serving men and
women, for they are no longer adequately equipped . Bless me! We could not even rescue the Falkland Islands again. Britain is being asked to "punch above it's weight"

What then should be the future of Britain in the world? Realising that we are but a modest power, we should give up the permanent seat in the United Nations security council.

There are others richer and stronger waiting. Of course a few of our top diplomats will be declared redundant. They might even have to seek out real jobs of work.

Once we are no longer members of the Security Council, the costly replacement nuclear weapons will not be needed. Our forces would come home and be proportionate to what can be afforded. AND Prime Ministers - and other Ministers- of the future could stay at home instead of polluting the skies with their hardly necessary travels.

Why do we have the worst transport system in Europe? We all know our schools are in disarray.... and our students burdened with debts. Taxation is driving firms into other lands reducing employmentprospects.

Those are the fronts on which we should be fighting - not unwinnable wars in far-off lands which we simply cannot afford.