Blair Falls

An era has ended in Great Britain with Tony Blair announcing that he is stepping down from the post of prime minister effective June 27. Blair did many good things for his country, such as strengthening the British economy and reasserting a leadership role for the U.K. in European affairs, but his entire legacy is based on his partnership with George W. Bush in Iraq. Unlike Bush, who was able to sell the American public the war before going in (albeit with the lies and exaggerations associated with snake oil salesmen), Blair was never able go to the more skeptical (not to mention smarter) British people behind him, and it caught up with him.

Blair's departure at this date is ironic. Though he became the first British prime minister since Harold Wilson to leave at a time of his own choosing, and though he left on a high note - brokering a peace agreement in Northern Ireland (more of which in a moment) - he leaves wit the aura of a defeated man forced out of office by a general electorate having turned against him. What a shame.

At least he has the Ulster accomplishment to look back on. Ian Paisley and Martin McGuiness, leaders of the respective Protestant and Catholic factions there, have formulated a coalition government for the troubled region at least, and it looks like peace is finally coming to that corner of Ireland. Although Irish reunification is possible in the future - demographics suggest that Protestants may slip into minority status in Ulster in time - don't bet on it. Such an idea will open more wounds than the new coalition government has healed. Let's be happy that the people of Northern Ireland have finally reached a new partnership to bring stability and peace there at last.