35 - Attitudes Towards Europe And The USA, And The "War On Terror"

Question 1

What element of politics do many believe the Blair administration will be judged on?

Answer 1

Foreign affairs

Question 2

What was Operation Desert Fox? When did it take place?

Answer 2

Bombing of Iraqi targets

December 1998

Question 3

Why did Britain bomb Iraqi targets in Operation Desert Fox? What was the Operation hailed as?

Answer 3

To prevent Hussein’s weapons programme

Huge success

Question 4

What campaign did the Serbs begin in Kosovo after withdrawing for Bosnia? What ethnic group suffered due to their demands for independence?

Answer 4

Genocide

Albanians

Question 5

Who did Blair convince to air strike Serbia to prevent genocide? What was an issue with the air strikes?

Answer 5

US President Bill Clinton

They weren’t always accurate

Question 6

Who consequently died from air strikes in Serbia? What Embassy was hit in Belgrade?

Answer 6

Civilians

Chinese Embassy

Question 7

What request of Blair’s did Clinton not agree to in Kosovo? Who came to the negotiating table despite this?

Answer 7

Sending NATO troops to the region

Serbs

Question 8

What might Kosovo have set a precedent for with Blair? What Doctorine was first elucidated in Chicago in 1999?

Answer 8

The belief that force can prevent injustice

Blair Doctorine

Question 9

What War did the US launch following 9/11? What 2 things did the US need to find out?

Answer 9

“War on terror”

Who the enemies were and where they lived

Question 10

Who did the Taliban regime host in Afghanistan? What did British troops support US troops in?

Answer 10

Al Qaeda terrorists

Afghanistan invasion

Question 11

Who did the UK and US hunt for in Afghanistan? Why?

Answer 11

Osama Bin Laden

He was widely believed to be behind 9/11

Question 12

Who were overthrown in the Afghanistan invasion? Who apparently escaped?

Answer 12

Taliban

Bin Laden

Question 13

What did British troops regain after overthrowing the Taliban? Who won applause from the US due to loyalty?

Answer 13

Afghanistan

Blair

Question 14

In what way did Blair renew the “special relationship” with the US? What is alleged about the UK’s involvement in Iraq?

Answer 14

Loyalty in the war on terror

Blair insisted on British involvement

Question 15

What was US President Bush concerned about over Blair’s wishes in Iraq involvement? What has Blair being accused of with Bush?

Answer 15

He might not get Parliamentary approval

Being Bush’s “poodle”

Question 16

Where was Blair a keen supporter of? What Chapter did he embrace?

Answer 16

Europe

Social Chapter

Question 17

What is a minimum standard laid down by the Social Chapter?

Answer 17

Minimum Wage

Question 18

What did Chancellor Brown not agree to in January 2002? What operated in this zone?

Answer 18

Joining the Eurozone

Common currency

Question 19

How did Brown test the benefits of the Eurozone? What were 3 tests that were done?

Answer 19

5 economic tests

Inflation, trade and jobs

Question 20

Who reluctantly accepted Brown’s decision with the Eurozone? What did he previously suggest would take place with the Eurozone?

Answer 20

Blair

A referendum

Question 21

What policy objections did Blair withdraw from Major’s ministry? What is one idea Blair supported about defence policy?

Answer 21

EU policies

A separate European defence policy from NATO

Question 22

What budget rebate did Blair fail to get? What did all his predecessors argue about this budget?

Answer 22

EU rebate

It was too high

Question 23

Who was Britain perceived to be an ally of during the war on terror by 2007? What were they a more enthusiastic member of?

Answer 23

US

European Community

Question 24

Who did critics of Blair believe Britain was too close to? What did they lack?

Answer 24

US

Independent policies

Question 25

What did many less developed countries distrust about Britain? Who else distrusted them?

Answer 25

Its intentions in foreign policy

People who saw the US and UK as the enemy

Question 26

What did Blair say in his “Blair Doctorine” speech in Chicago on 22nd April 1999 about Hussein and Milosevic?

Answer 26

“Many of our problems have been caused by 2 dangerous men - Hussein and Milosevic”