Tony Blair for UN Secretary General?

[Marcellus]

Tony Blair would make a "good" secretary general of the United Nations, former US president Bill Clinton has said.

Mr Clinton said he had discussed Mr Blair's future with him and told him there was "a lot of good you can do in the world" after leaving Number 10.

Mr Blair has said he would step down before the next general election, but has not revealed his future plans.

The current UN chief, Kofi Annan, ends his term on 31 December this year.

When asked on BBC2's Newsnight if Mr Blair should run for UN secretary general, Mr Clinton responded: "That would suit me. He would be a good one."

This has been an immensely rewarding phase of my life and I think he will find immense rewards when his service is done

Mr Clinton said whatever Mr Blair did after leaving Number 10 he could expect "immense rewards" from speaking engagements, books and directorships.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4611836.stm

I don't much like Tony Blair, but he might just make a good SG: I think that the UN needs reform, and that Blair could bring it about. But is he too much of a dividing figure after the Iraq war? What do you think? Let's just assume that Blair wants to be SG and that he could be appointed.

[Ianofsmeg16]

I say go for it tony!

[Duke Malcolm]

Yes, he would certainly be more lively than Koffi...
The Rt Hon. Lord Blair of Sedgefield, Secretary-General of the United Nations
(he says he won't take such a title, but he will...)

[Reenk Roink]

Kofi's gotta stay.

Such an eloquent man...he's right for the job.

Petition Kofi for 1 more year!

[InsaneApache]

yeh bugger off.

[scotchedpommes]

Given Kofi Annan's position on the invasion of Iraq, being of the view that it was
illegal, it would surely make even more of a mockery of the UN itself to have
Tony Blair as a future Secretary General. [No doubt he does have this post in
mind for himself, as he is ever aware of his own place in history.]

[solypsist]

this is odd news - i thought clinton wanted the job?

[BDC]

this is odd news - i thought clinton wanted the job?

Maybe he prefers touring for millions of pounds...

[scotchedpommes]

this is odd news - i thought clinton wanted the job?

He does. Watched the interview last night, and there's a link to it on the site.
Would doubt he'd prefer Blair in that post as opposed to himself, but he's not
about to say he'd make a terrible Secretary General though, is he? He's one of
the darlings of the Labour party, after all.

[doc_bean]

Blair ? He'll make the UN even more wasteful than it already is ! Besides he's a pure breed politician, he tells people what they want to hear, regardless of what he has said to other people or has said before. Clinton's not that different (the bombings during the Lewinski affair), but he's more likable at least.

The UN secretary is a symbol more than anything else, he doesn't hold any real power over the security council or the politics of the UN. I say we go for Bono, if it's gonna cost the public money, they might as well give us a show !

[Viking]

Blair for UN Secretary General? Nope. Past actions speak against him.

[Samurai Waki]

My Guess is Bill Clinton still wants to have Sexy Parties for the next couple of years...let Tony be the interum...and for god sakes no more Kofi.

[AntiochusIII]

Blair? He is too dividing a figure. Probably some of the Muslims will want his head almost as much as Bush's for their, as long as the UN is concerned, illegal Invasion of Iraq. Not good for a ceremonial position of someone who's supposedly "chair" a world organization like the UN.

Besides, who knows what he can waste with all that UN money?

I'd rather have that Irish rockstar (Bono?) who works with Bill Gates and never puts off his sunglasses to be teh new UN secretary.

Actually, I think that's like, the greatest idea ever.

[Geoffrey S]

I still want Boris Johnson for UN Secretary General.

[Louis VI the Fat]

I wouldn't mind Blair getting the job. Underneath all of his spin, lies and messianistic illusions he is still one great politician.
I'd love to see Clinton get the job. If only for the delight of getting to watch conservative America having to put up with him again.
It would be fantastic. Pure showbizzness.

But, alas, I don't think the job should go to anyone from the five permanent security council members. I say we rotate the function of secretary general between the Scandinavian countries, like they did in the early days of the UN. That would be a blessing for the world.

[Marcellus]

I still want Boris Johnson for UN Secretary General.

But of course, nothing would get done. He'd spend most of the time trying to work out where he is: "Blimey! Gosh, er, where am I, er, what's this, cripes there are a lot of flags there! Er, yes."

[Duke Malcolm]

I believe Boris Johnsons is standing for election as Rector of Edinburgh University...