Diplomacy Of The Blair Decade

Tony Blair, as the youngest prime minister in Britain since 1821, led Labor Party to landslide victory in the 1997 general election, ending its 10 years history of being in opposition. During his terms, Britain's diplomacy policy experienced dramatic adjustment. Tony Blair inherited the legacy of "three-ring diplomacy" and put United States and Europe Union into the core of Britain's diplomacy. Blair Administration gave priority to the Anglo-American Special Relationship; meanwhile stressed Britain's great interest in EU and claimed Britain's leadership in EU integration. Blair tried to play the role of Atlantic Pivot, making "marginal adjustment" in handling issues related to both sides of the Atlantic. These diplomatic practice embodies the tradition of British foreign policy and is also in line with British philosophy—Empiricism. At the same time, facing the great challenges in new historic era, the Blair Administration proclaimed the Doctrine of the International Community on the basis of"the third way"theory, implemented"the Moral Diplomacy", through which Britain's foreign policy emerged more moral color and ethical appeal.But just as Tony Blair's words: "the multi-painted ideal always turn out to be black-and-white reality.", Britain, as a second-class nation, in the face of increasingly unfavorable international situation, found it more and more difficult to play the role of bridge connecting Europe and America. Immediately following the 9.11 attacks, Blair vowed to stand "shoulder to shoulder" with America, and made Britain the most important US ally in the war on terror and the Iraq war, both politically and militarily, despite significant public opposition. Along with deteriorating situation in Iraq, The Blair government's foreign policy faced the full challenge. Eventually, under strong pressure at home and abroad, Blair stood down as prime minister on 27 June 2007. But the Legacy of Tony Blair's foreign policy will exert far-reaching impact.