Howard's message to Blair: Time to stand up to Bush

Michael Howard breaks ranks with Tony Blair over Iraq today by calling on the Prime Minister to speak out publicly against the United States when he disagrees with President George Bush.

Writing in The Independent, Mr Howard urges Mr Blair to act as a "candid" friend to the US and to abandon his refusal to criticise America's mistakes in Iraq since the end of last year's war. Although Mr Howard says it was right to remove Saddam Hussein, his criticism of Mr Blair's strategy is his strongest over Iraq since he became Tory leader.

Mr Howard says the Anglo-American alliance should remain the anchor of British foreign policy but insists the partnership "should always be a candid one". He claims Mr Blair has created "a new doctrine", under which any advice he offers on US policy is made in private and any disagreement kept secret. "This has the convenient advantage, from his point of view, that we never know whether and when he offers advice, or whether and when he disagrees.

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/story.jsp?story=523029

and all the popularity rubbed off on him. I believe he thought he could befriend George W Bush and vicariously remain popular thru the US president...He made a big boo-boo.