Tony’s Deaf Ear

‘TONY Blair’s most ardent desire never to be seen as the bad guy has stood him in good stead so far.

Hunting down the real vermin

But what does the tough statesman who so ardently wants to be loved do when a Briton facing death at the hands of sadists in Iraq sends out an impassioned plea for help?

Tony could try blaming the BBC, as occurred with those “sexed up” dossiers – but the broadcast from Kenneth Bigley was made over the web, not the Today programme.

He could blame the previous Conservative administration – but Bigley’s cry for help has nothing to do with underinvestment in railways or the NHS.

The kidnapper’s hope is that Tony starts blaming the Americans, a notion picked up by the Telegraph, which says the aim of Bigley’s video message is to “drive a wedge between America and Britain”.

And that’s a plan that is enjoying some success, as the paper says how Iraq’s interim government was ready to comply – at least partially – with the kidnappers’ demands to release “Dr Germ” and “Mrs Anthrax” until the Americans kyboshed it.

A certain Paul Bigley now accuses the Americans of putting his brother’s life in danger. “This is ridiculous: this is silly,” says he – “a man’s life is at stake here.”

But Tony can’t blame the Americans, the ally whose support and approval he so highly coverts.

In any case, the video message was directed directly to Tony, “to Mr Blair”. And it’s repeated in full by all the papers.

“I need you to be compassionate, as you always said you were and help me to live so I can see my wife and son and my mother and brothers again,” says Bigley, his speech transcribed on the Guardian’s cover.

“I need you to help me, Mr Blair, because you are the only person on God’s earth that I can speak to. Please, please help me see my wife, who cannot go on without me.”

How Tony must be panicking. The tough statesman who won’t deal with terrorists versus the God-fearing populist who cannot ignore a plea for help.

And before he thinks about blaming Bigley – who must have been aware of some of the risks as he travelled to work in Iraq – the Telegraph says how the victim only went east to “flee [the] tragic death of his son”, who died in a car crash.

Tony is being squashed between a rock and a hard place. What he does next, could be the most telling moment of his time at the top…’

Posted: 23rd, September 2004 | In: Uncategorized Comment | TrackBack | Permalink