British Prime Minister Gordon Brown through the selection of his ministers has sent out a clear message that he will deviate from Blair’s highly unpopular approach on the Iraq war. The message is that since he was part of the Blair cabinet that authorized sending British troops to Iraq alongside US troops, he still accepts that it was a right one. But the appointment of individuals as ministers who were and are against the decision clearly hints at forthcoming changes. It will be a challenge for Brown and his men to deal with the US on the Iraq issue.
Young John Miliband, the new foreign secretary, has consistently voiced his opposition to British participation in Iraq. Though he had faithfully voted for the war during his stint with Blair, he continued to be unconvinced that it was the right decision.
Another appointee- John Denham had resigned as minister from the Blair government in protest against the decision to send troops to Iraq in 2003.
Mark Malloch-Brown, another Brown appointee, has been perhaps more vehemently opposed to the war in Iraq than the two mentioned earlier. He was deputy secretary general of the UN before. He had strong disagreements at the United Nations with John R. Bolton, the American ambassador there. He was very critical of US President Bush and the Iraq war.
Mr. Malloch-Brown’s appointment could be an attempt by Mr. Brown to distance Britain from the Bush administration, says Alex Bingham, an analyst with the Foreign Policy Center, a center-left research organization in London.
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