Too Little Too Late, Mr. Blair

Tony Blair finally appeared on television this weekend speaking about the devastation in Asia. What he had to say was appropriate and well spoken, but hell! why did it take six days? When Princess Diana died and the Queen didn't make the appropriate gestures of sympathy, there was a great outcry. Blair actually advised the Queen to respond to the public outpouring of grief. She took his advice, and it seems to have been the only blip on an otherwise flawless reign.

The tsunami may not have been a domestic crisis. It didn't hit British shores, but it affected British citizens. We still don't know how many are missing because the Foreign Office won't release the figures. It will probably be in the hundreds.

Tony, I'm sorry, but I have to say you've lost points with me by sitting on holiday in Egypt while the world responded to this tragedy. You would do well to come home. You wanted the job of Prime Minister, so sacrificing your private time in the face of events such as these are not unreasonable. And I'd like to hear you respond to George W. Bush and his coalition to aid the victims. What does he mean that Japan, Australia and the US are the only ones with a "presence" in the region? Hasn't he ever heard of the Commonwealth?