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Blair more isolated on Iraq issue after Berlusconi's defeat

Hasan Suroor

LONDON: The British Prime Minister Tony Blair faces more isolation in Europe over Iraq after the defeat of his Italian counterpart and political ally Silvio Berlusconi.

Of the three European leaders who unreservedly joined the U.S.-led invasion defying domestic public opinion, Mr. Blair is the only one who stills remains in power amid growing calls for him to quit.

The first to go was the Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar after he was defeated in the wake of the Madrid bombings in 2004 which were seen as a consequence of his support for the Iraq invasion. Now Mr. Berlusconi is out, and though his fall is not directly related to Iraq it will add to pressure on Mr. Blair as he lurches from one crisis to another.

Mr. Blair, Mr. Aznar and Mr. Berlusconi forged a political alliance that proved highly divisive for Europe during the Iraq war which was strongly opposed by France and Germany. Americans used the divisions to dismiss France and Germany as "Old'' Europe and embrace the so-called "new'' Europe represented by leaders like Mr. Aznar and Mr. Berlusconi — with Mr. Blair acting as a bridge in trans-Atlantic relations.

The trio also formed a close personal relationship with Mr. Blair spending summer holidays at Mr. Berlusconi's villa in Sardinia. Analysts said that Mr. Berlusconi's exit meant that mainland Europe's last bastion of support for the U.S. President George W. Bush's foreign policy had fallen and it would add to Mr. Blair's sense of isolation.

"Mr. Blair is likely to put a brave face on the defeat although many will see it as a further nail in his own political coffin,'' said The Independent newspaper.

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