Boris Johnson and Freddie Forsyth beat up on David Cameron (a little bit)

A couple of interesting articles from Frederick Forsyth and Boris Johnson today. Both are of particular interest because they challenge David Cameron on two of his current mantras. First, his idea that Britain is “broken” and second, that we should do more to assist Georgia.

Boris Johnson is perhaps the most unusual of the two. In his Telegraph column he makes the statement:

“If you believe the politicians, we have a broken society, in which the courage and morals of young people have been sapped by welfarism and political correctness. And if you look at what is happening at the Beijing Olympics, you can see what piffle that is.”

This is a clever move by Boris Johnson for four reasons:

1. He’s factually correct. Britain isn’t broken. The phrase is a useful tool for the marketeers at Tory HQ project the idea that there is such a thing as compassionate conservatism. This is straight out for the George Bush play book and until today, the Conservatives have had a free run at building their case.

2. It’s important to Boris that he retains his own unique brand Metropolitan anti-establishmentism. To use a phrase ‘if you believe politicians” in the article is an audacious attempt to distance himself from the political class he so obviously belongs to. As I read and re-read the article I’m smiling. I can’t quite believe he wrote those lines but I can’t help admiring his bravado.

3. He also knows that the best way he can help David Cameron is retain an air of celebrity. Being a semi-distant endorser rather than a lifelong friend and compatriot will help Mr Cameron more at election time.

4. And perhaps this was at the forefront of his mind, when he was tapping away at the keyboard on Sunday evening. He must have known that he was about to lose the third aide in as many months. He would rather the likes of me be analysing his distancing from David Cameron than assessing the “Boris Johnson team in chaos as another deputy mayor resigns” story.

“If you believe the politicians”. I’m still chuckling.

The next article by Fredrick Forsyth is of interest because, though strong in opinions and clearly on the right of politics, I think Mr Forsyth articulates the thoughts of many serious thinkers and Russia watchers in the UK.

“For anyone studying the Russian-Georgian hostilities two words should leap off the page and those words are: Disputed Enclave.”

Mr Cameron’s haste to jump onto the international stage shows initiative but not wisdom.

Though Mr Forsyth did not criticise David Cameron directly, I’m sure he reflects a view amongst many serious foreign policy analysts that the mission was reckless.

If you’re going to pick a fight with a nuclear power, you have to be sure of your position – and as importantly, the position of your allies. That requires a lot of back room diplomacy and not headline grabbing jaunts.

I’m no Georgia expert,though I have spent time with their previous Prime Minister, but I’m bright enough to know that the best way we can help the Georgians and the South Ossetians is to build a unified international front. That takes time and a lot of walking on egg shells.