Brown in Warning To Iran Shock

Gordon Brown can barely run his own country, so why he thinks it incumbent upon him to lecture any other countries is beyond me. Particularly Iran. You have to have sympathy with the land of the mad mullahs, when all they get from the West are a series of pointless, patronising statements from leaders who have given up on the home front and need to score kudos abroad.

Iran is a mature theocracy, a regional power, a proud nation, and whatever we may think of her leader she jolly well deserves to be treated with a degree more equality and respect than western leaders have so far managed to achieve. I have a feeling we would get much further in negotiations with Iran if we were prepared to at least acknowledge some parity of status. But instead, we get limp Gordon, with his newly found interest in foreign affairs, blah-ing on about how Iran needs to basically do what the west wants. Don't get me wrong - I'm as keen on western liberal values as anyone. Well - western conservative values actually. I believe the West stands head and shoulders above all others in what she has developed both politically and ideologically. But I don't get the old imperial attitudes I'm afraid.