Tony Blair continues to make the case

…in Blueprint, a magazine sponsored by the DLC. Blair’s article is called “Fighting for Values.” He writes:

Over the past nine years, Britain has pursued a markedly different foreign policy, justifying our actions at least as much by reference to values as to interests. The defining characteristic of today’s world is its interdependence. Whereas the economics of globalization are well matured, the politics of globalization are not. Unless we articulate a common global policy based on common values, we risk chaos threatening our stability, economic and political, through letting extremism, conflict or injustice go unchecked.

The consequence of this thesis is a policy of engagement, not isolation; and one that is active, not reactive.

Confusingly, its proponents and opponents come from all sides of the political spectrum. So it is apparently a “neoconservative” or right wing view to be ardently in favor of spreading democracy around the world. Others on the right take the view that this is dangerous and deluded — the only thing that matters is an immediate view of national interest.

For his “resounding defense of civilization and globalization…scathing attack on obscurantism and protectionism [and the case he makes] for the Iraqi invasion and occupation,” Blair is attacked by Harold Meyerson of Tapped as worthy of

the Great Transatlantic Insufferable Moralist With Blood On Their Hands Swap Meet

Blair is an insufferable moralist with blood on his hands and should be swapped with Joe Lieberman.

This politicking can only be described as depraved. In this week alone, I have read

• that Salman Rushdie, who lived for years in fear of his life from Islamist radicals, is an Uncle Tom for supporting Ayaan Hirsi Ali
• that Ayaan Hirsi Ali is a problem and that if you remove her from Holland you remove the problem
• that the rumor about Jews in Iran having to wear Yellow Badges was started by neocons (i.e., Jews and/or Jew-lovers) in order to get “us” to go to war against Iran

I am sick to my stomach.