Cameron needs to modernise his world view
Matthew d'Ancona 12:04pm
As James has noted, there is a yawning gulf of ideas opening up between the Tories and Brown on foreign policy. Read this piece by David Aaronovitch in The Times today for a fascinating exploration of the subject. While I am still not sure that Gordon embraces liberal interventionism with the same ardour as Blair – for all his contempt for the EU, Brown is still a believer in rules-based internationalism – there is no doubt that the PM is closer ideologically on foreign policy to his predecessor than is Cameron, the self-styled “heir to Blair”. As was once pointed out to me by a very senior Cameroon, it is no accident that Dave inherited Douglas Hurd’s seat: he is more of an old-fashioned pragmatist on foreign policy than a 21st Century radical. But if he becomes Prime Minister he may find that old-school pragmatism is no longer sufficient to the needs of our time.
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Comments
David
November 20th, 2007 12:22pm"pragmatism is no longer sufficient to the needs of our time." Er, oxymoron?
M Fortune
November 20th, 2007 1:55pmThe same Douglas Hurd who's fervently pro-EU? Oh great.
Simon Chapman
November 20th, 2007 3:28pmWhat is truly dispiriting is the implicit "realcon" assumption that developing & promoting democratic institutions, good governance, freedom of speech & contract and the rule of law is somehow not always in our vital national interests. I had hoped that we had "hurd" the last of this view, but sadly it seems we have not.
Cogito Ergosum
November 20th, 2007 4:23pmDiplomacy is what remains when men have tired of fighting. It is futile to expect too much from diplomacy, or indeed from fighting. (P) Cameron deserves our gratitude for returning to a cautious and prudent view of the international scene. (P) And another moan. When is the Spectator, proud of its reputation for good writing, going to make these readers' replies show paragraphs properly?
David Lindsay
November 20th, 2007 6:41pmI, too, want to know the answer to that last one, Cogito Ergosum. As to the point at issue, the denial of the perfectability of human nature by its own efforts alone or in this life alone must make one as sceptical of neoconservatism as of any other variety of Marxism. And the status of the United States and Israel as friendly states requires precisely that they be treated like any other friendly states: no worse, and no better.
TGF UKIP
November 20th, 2007 7:14pmAside from Aaronovitch's ritual genuflection to Brown in the final para, a brilliant and devastating analysis of Dave-Lite's "foreign and security policy." It would be really refreshing to see some similar rigorous analysis of Dave in the Speccie instead of just the shameless cheerleading each week.
Tiberius
November 20th, 2007 9:21pmTGF, mate, we do not get cheerleading of Cameron. Fraser regularly questions whether his policies are fully thought through, and Matt opposes his stance on 90 days and grammar schools. But there is always Heffer in the DT on Wednesdays if you want shameless dissing of Cameron.
TGF UKIP
November 20th, 2007 10:23pmI stand duly chastened and humbly apologize for I have just read the leader in last week's mag which is certainly less than flattering to Dave on this issue. Cameron's speech in Berlin was, however, appalling and completely at odds with his speech in the Tory leadership contest in 2005. With a Cameron government the US would have no reliable ally on the eastern side of the Atlantic with the UK joining the rest of the euros as nominal members only of Nato.