"That is that. The end"

When Tony Blair moved into 10 Downing Street ten years ago, American media was inundated with the news of the President’s affaire with an internship student. Europe was struggling to solve their own prolonged conflict in Balkan, which deteriorated into genocide despite their pledge of “Never again”. And, here in Japan, we were mired in the decade-long recession with any tip of silver lining out of view. The Executive Director of one of the biggest security company knelt down in front of TV cameras and apologized when his company went under in so-called Financial Crisis. We were stunned by this unrealistic footage that the top leader of such a prestigious company wailed and blabbered without an ounce of shame, shouting “Our employees aren’t to blame! It is solely my responsibility!”

We had Bill Clinton in the United States back then, Helmut Kohl in Germany, and Jacques Chirac in France. Our Prime Minister was Hashimoto Ryutaro, if I am not mistaken. A pompous, narcissistic guy with trademark slicked back hair, which I am not mistaken definitely. And in Russia, they had the drunken President named Boris Yeltsin. They have all gone. Some of them literally, ours included. And now, it is time for Tony Blair.

Although his decision to take sides with the U.S invasion of Iraq is considerably questionable when we see the deteriorating situation today, I think that there is no doubt that he is a remarkable statesman who strongly believes the ideas of democracy and freedom. During his tenure, he had taken the risk of interventions to make a difference for the endangered under appalling regimes or tyrants. Successful “humanitarian interventions” in Bosnia, Kosovo and Sierra Leone attest his unflinching conviction that democratic value is universal and we should stand up for it wherever it happens.

One of many things that I learned from the book, “A Problem from Hell; America and an age of genocide” is there was virtually no leader in 20th century who went out their own way to save other countries in the face of genocide or atrocity. I am not naïve enough to believe that Blair acted on just altruistic motives, but, still his willingness and optimism is extraordinary. When he announced his resignation a month ago, he said, “Hand on heart, I did what I thought was right”. It’s too romantic, too emotional, and too lovey-dovey, but somehow, it fits in his character. If I heard it came out of Hashimoto’s mouse, I would be choked to death. Though he has made a lots of mistakes, such as his college year’s band name, “Ugly Rumours” or his choice of wife, he is still a pre-eminent statesman.

So, who have we got now? Bush the lame duck in America, Angela “The Girl” Merkel, “Control freak” Gordon Brown, a real freak Vladimir Putin, and, don’t forget, our conceited, pompous, self-righteous, suburban, chauvinistic, curtain-twitching snob Mr. Abe. What an exciting selection, isn’t it? The next year’s G-8 Summit will be held in Japan. Let’s hope that they are dull and plain enough to discourage edgy demonstrators to run amok here.