I've just been watching 'Question Time from New York'. (Well, Michael Moore was on it and he's always good for a laugh.)

One of the questions raised by some American member of the audience was, "What do the panel consider Britain's role to be in the issue of the 'War Against Terrorism'? Are they genuinely concerned or do they think it'll just make them look more important on the world stage?" (Or words of one syllable to that effect. And America wonders why the rest of the world hates them.)

Here's my theory why Tony bin Blair has got his tongue thrust firmly up Bush's purple sphincter when his voters are so obviously against military action.

Shortly after the September 11th attacks in New York Blair flew over to America (narrowly missing the Statue of Liberty but that's another story) showing solidarity with the tin-pot dictator chimpanzee. The following day, Bush's first act against the Al Quaeda network was to put an immediate ban on the transfer of funds to international terrorist organisations. (Sorry...organizations.)

One of those organisations would, of course, have been the IRA with whom Uncle Tony had been experiencing difficulties. Especially getting them to decomission their weapons and sit quietly round the negotiating table with the tea and biscuits.

America has long supported the IRA, the U.S.A.'s usual fuzzy logic being that somehow the British are oppressing those Irish voters who wanted to remain part of the U.K. The even fuzzier logic followed that blowing the shit out of their so-called fellow Irish men would somehow teach the British government a lesson. (Obviously it never once crossed the Irish-American's minds to actually return to the land they loved and just vote the bastards out..but, hey, that's American democracy for you!)

Anyhow...to cut a long story short, Uncle Tony pulled a deal. He supported Bush in his war against Afghanistan and Bush cut the funding to the IRA.

The deal worked...after a fashion. Devoid of weapons the IRA were forced to admit defeat and engage in the more usual political channels instead.

Unfortunately, Bush now wants to bomb Iraq for reasons best left to himself and his sterility doctor. Personally I don't think that the argument of "Oh...but we might get hurt if we ignore them" can justify a pre-emptive strike against an already fucked nation, but there you go. I don't hold with the same peace-loving, freedom-loving, caring and Christian politics that those who support this campaign obviously do.

Now, Bush can now dangle the carrot. If Blair doesn't support his tyranical schemes then it only takes one phone-call to reinstate the always-eager-council-estaters-who-call-themselves-the-Irish-Republican-Army's development fund.

Personally I'd like to see Northern Ireland rejoined with Eire.

1) Because if the people of Southern Ireland were included in the referendums I've no doubt the outcome would be very different.

2) Because, well, frankly, the place is a shithole.