BLAIR WILL ONLY HURT THINGS AS AN ENVOY

Will Blair help or hurt in his new job as an envoy? That's what this JTA article is asking, but I think the answers can pretty much be figured out:

Tony Blair's frequent calls for the need to create a Palestinian state and his vital support for the Iraq war raise major questions for officials in Jerusalem and Arab capitals.

WASHINGTON (JTA) – Tony Blair brings a lot to his new job as a peace envoy: His hands-on experience as British prime minister in dealing with Middle East issues, the confidence President Bush places in him as a loyal supporter of the Iraq war, a long-held view that resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is vital to stabilizing the region.

The question in this case is whether "a lot" constitutes useful experience or debilitating baggage.

Answer: he will only bring baggage that we in Israel will have to carry as our horrid burden.

And I don't agree at all with this article that says that Blair is leaving a legacy of support for Israel. Not at all.