Blair admits crisis caught him out

[cal04]

TONY Blair last night admitted he had underestimated the scale of the tsunami disaster that has spiralled into the most critical international emergency for generations, but he failed to explain why he remained on holiday while the crisis unfolded.

Almost a week after the tidal wave washed away hundreds of communities and claimed at least 150,000 lives, the Prime Minister finally broke cover from his holiday in Egypt to give his response to the continuing devastation. Blair’s comments came as the global relief mission to save the 5 million survivors of the Asian tsunami from disease and starvation appeared to be in disarray, with vital aid failing to reach some of the most stricken areas.


In an interview designed to demonstrate that Blair was at the heart of Britain’s contribution to the enormous relief effort, despite remaining on vacation, the Prime Minister conceded he was only in "daily" contact with the government’s hastily-organised relief operation in the days immediately after the tsunami struck.He also dodged persistent questions over why he didn’t make a statement earlier and chose to stay on holiday while the scale of the tragedy became obvious.

The delay in going public with his response came amid rumours that Blair, who underwent a heart operation three months ago, had been advised to take a holiday on health grounds. "At first it seemed a terrible disaster, a terrible tragedy, but I think as the days have gone on people have recognised it as a global catastrophe," a drawn-looking Blair said in an interview with Channel 4 News.

http://news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=3562005

[tuvor]

1. Tony seems to underestimate the scale of a lot of things, doesn't he? n/t

[Bouncy Ball]

2. Because he's trying to be just like his Master Bush?

[Prodemsouth]

5. It is almost like two monkeys playing monkey see monkey do.

Both look like monkeys maybe that is why they get along so well.

[MSgt213]

3. Thank god this wasn't a massive terror attack because Bush nor Blair our

two gallent protectors. You know the only ones who know how to protect us. DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE FUCK TO DO!!!!!! What a couple of pure asswipe bullshiters. I hate these two fucks and the fucking MORONS that fucking support these two piles of shit. But on the other hand Blair does give a nice speech.

[melnjones]

4. hey at least he can admit when he makes a mistake...

Can you imagine Bush saying anything close to that?

[goforit]

10. Sorry but you give him too much credit.

[Pithy Cherub]

6. The British Poodle and the American Chimp

remain at a loss to explain why vacation was so much more important! A mark against both of them!

[Mistress Quickly]

7. And Kofi Annan

He was at Jackson Hole, WY for 3 days after the tsunami.

[UpInArms]

15. vacationing is hard work .............. eom

[SnoopDog]

8. First of all its 'misunderestimated" and 2nd

its 'masta Bush".

Geez, when and how will we restore or world to a common good.

(Disclaimer - I only place humans into three categories - my bias - categories are good, bad, and don't know yet)..

[goforit]

9. Can't stomach the real crime, Tony?

[AP]

11. Isn't the British press creative enough to come up with their own....

...scandals?

[Solly Mack]

12. Oh, so it wasn't bad enough in his eyes

until he found out british voters had died?

Cause it was brown people?

help me, Tony....tell me why

[frankly_fedup2]

13. I get so sick and tired when food, water, and/or medicine finally

get to the people but, of course, they never bring enough for everyone and that is the picture the media puts out there. The people frantically grabbing and pushing for food and/or water.

With all the money for aid for these survivors, they better be getting enough of what they need, and by this Sunday, it will have been a week and there is no reason whatsoever for anyone to be starving to death. The aid should have gotten there days ago and been given to the people.

I'm not criticizing the people out there taking the aid to the people (please don't get me wrong here); it's more the media and what they choose to put on the air. That may have been the only helicopter that did not bring enough for everyone at that particular drop off. The reporter even stated that the people approached the helicopter like a "pack of wolves" -- no joke.

If they did not bring enough for everyone, there should have been three more helicopters coming in behind them making sure everyone got food and water. Even the aid worker was apologizing to the reporter that they thought they had brought enough and felt terrible but they were doing it as fast as possible. Also, there probably was a helicopter coming in after them but the media sure didn't present it that way.

[cosmicdot]

14. "underestimated the scale of the tsunami"

taken along with ...

"Almost a week after the tidal wave washed away hundreds of communities and claimed at least 150,000 lives, the Prime Minister finally broke cover from his holiday in Egypt to give his response to the continuing devastation"

defies belief ...

at least imo

sure he was in Egypt, and not at Crawford Command Center Underground with ** plotting the next four years??? I must have watched too many 007 films this week (speaking of Bond ... we could sure use him to rid us of SPECTRE aka the BFEE)

[KoKo]

17. Maybe he WAS in Texas for "secret" meetings with the Chimp. Haven't

folks here been saying there are no pictures of Bush at the ranch. Wouldn't put it past either of them to be there on the Ranch plotting Chimp's next term where he and Blair pull out all the stops for the "New Empire" fule of "Colonialism."

[found object]

16. that mother fucker has been brain-washed, sure as shit.

don't know how else to explain it.

[NJCher]

18. Sweden

I read in The Guardian this a.m. that Sweden's prime minister went to the movies. She's in trouble over this as so many Swedes died in the tsunami.


Cher

edited to add link to above story.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/tsunami/story/0,15671,1382074,00.html