In a BBC interview on January 7, UK?s treasury chief Gordon Brown indicated that an independent stance will be taken toward the United States and the Iraq policy in the future. Brown, who is expected to take over as prime minister when Tony Blair steps down, said that he will be forthcoming with President Bush: ?People who know me know that I would speak my mind. I will be frank. The British national interest is what I and my colleagues are about? (source).
His comments confirmed what many have anticipated to be an upcoming new strategy on Iraq for Britain . Brown is set to take over sometime before the next elections in 2009, but most are already expecting him to succeed Blair in 2007. If Brown takes over the office, a modification to the heartfelt alliance between the UK and the US is likely to be made.
Last fall, Brown introduced a new concept of a culture war against terrorism in which he emphasized that a campaign to win over the ?hearts and minds? was imminently needed in order to win the war on terror. In this latest interview, he repeated his objective to change the current agenda to a more innovative way of fighting terrorism?a way that he hopes will soothe the worries of the British people. He topped his speech off with a gallant promise to downscale Britain?s troops in Iraq over the next year (source).
Brown is seeking to distance himself from Blair?s perceived ill-made foreign policy decisions that have brought on widespread criticism in Britain. The British public has grown increasingly dissatisfied with the UK?s involvement in Iraq. The fact that Brown is likely to take over in 2007 would make him all the more eager to win over the British public in order to secure a successful outcome for the Labor Party in the 2009 elections.
The future prime minister is keen to prove to the British people that a more inquisitive attitude will be taken vis-?-vis the US, moving away from what critics describe as the UK?s blind commitment to Bush?s agenda. On this note, Brown pointed out that several grave mistakes have been made in the aftermath of the invasion of Iraq, leading to the miscalculated situation the coalition troops are battling today. While he stood by his previous stated beliefs that the invasion itself was the right thing to do in 2003, he also stated that there is a need for an examination of the course of actions that have shaped the current circumstances. He hinted that he would like to call for a closer look into ?what really happened? in the after effects of Iraq.
If Brown steps to power, his proceedings are likely to concern the administration in Washington, as they are counting on the UK to stand by them in their next politically decisive actions in Iraq. Brown?s announcement to start reducing the UK?s commitment in Iraq and his assertion to have a ?frank? relationship with the US suggest that he will be taking a stance in which he will be questioning all courses of the coalition?s actions and requiring amendments in exchange for UK?s further support.
