Blair Gets Golden Brown Nose At Last

Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair will receive the highest civilian award in the US – the Presidential Medal of Freedom – next week.In his last week in office, President Bush will award the medal to Mr Blair, former Australian PM John Howard and Colombian President Alvaro Uribe.

Such distinguished company, reads more like a perp walk, or should. This is his second erm, honour-

Mr Blair was awarded the congressional gold medal in July 2003, shortly after the invasion of Iraq, but he has yet to collect it. There was some speculation that unease over the Iraq war and Mr Blair’s close friendship with Mr Bush made him reluctant to accept it while in office. But each medal is individually designed and minted and it was reported it was taking some time to decide on the words and images. The office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives told the Sunday Telegraph this week that Mr Blair was taking a keen interest in the medal’s design, before it was specially made by the US Federal Mint.

Now some may ask what Blair The Peace Envoy is doing with Gaza being flattened under his nose, you might also ask why Bush is sending massive resources to Darfur in his twilight days. Some victims are deemed worthy or convenient, or…AFRICOM needing a hand (shame on me for doubting George Bush’s humanitarian impulses!)-

WASHINGTON —President Bush has authorized an immediate airlift of vehicles and equipment to bolster the international peace-keeping mission in the conflict-torn Darfur region of western Sudan, the White House announced on Monday.

Because of the urgency of the situation, the president is waiving the normal 15-day period to notify Congress of his intentions “because failing to do so would pose a substantial risk to human health and welfare,” Stephen Hadley, the president’s national security adviser, said in a statement.

The airlift to aid the peace mission, formally known as the United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur, is a significant step up in American involvement in the region, even though it will not involve military action. The region has long been riven by ethnic and sectarian strife, which has claimed thousands of lives.