Favorite Foreign Leader

[Keystone Phil]

I don't know if this topic was brought up before but I thought it would be good to discuss. So who is your favorite foreign leader?

For me, I have to say Silvio Berlusconi.



 I know I'm going to get a lot of criticism but hey...he's a strong conservative voice in liberal Europe.

Another political figure I admire is Iain Duncan Smith. He's not a head of state but he was the former leader of Britain's Conservative Party.



I'm sure the our British and other foreign friends on the forum will just love who I admire!

[Keystone Phil]

Silvio Berlesconi?

IDS?

I *know* you're just trolling now.

Excuse me I would prefer if you don't call me a troll. I've never been accused of that before by even those who disagree with me the most. I resent being referred to a troll when I spend a lot of time engaging in civil debate.

[Keystone Phil]

Recent Past leaders: 4) Margaret Thatcher

I totally forgot about Maggie Thatcher. She fought alongside Reagan during the Cold War and had a strong voice for conservative causes in Britain.
 

[Keystone Phil]

Keystone:
1) why IDS?? IMHO he was one of the worst leaders the Tories have had. Thatcher, Major, Hague and Michael Howard, all better than IDS - Even some others that weren't leaders like Kenneth Clarke and Michael Portillo. What does IDS has in particular?

The reason why I admire Smith is because I enjoyed his debates with Blair the most. Hague was ok and I'm not a huge Howard fan right now. He's just taken over fairly recently so I'm just not used to watching him debate. So many people say that IDS was boring and quiet but I saw him as an exciting leader in the House of Commons during PM questions.

Now concerning Berlusconi...the whole corruption thing certainly isn't a positive thing about him but his conservativism is something I admire in an ever changing, left leaning Europe.

[Keystone Phil]

I would say Silvio Berlusconi (who, if he were an American, would be your typical New York Republican), but the euros will start carping and whatnot.

Noooo way! Berlusconi is no New York Republican. NY Republicans tend to be more moderate and he is no moderate, believe me.

Now Berlusconi has had his scandals and ya know what...I don't defend him for any corrupt dealings he's been involved in. But for his conservative voice and his stronger leadership (Italy's Olive Tree coalition was defeated in a landslide in 2001 for a reason ya know) I admire him. He also stood with America during the Iraq war when we weren't very popular in Europe. Like him or not, that took courage to do as a leader in Europe.

[Keystone Phil]

Any of the W European leaders (Berlusconi, Blair, Howard, and Aznar) who went against the grain and supported the liberation of Iraq.

Howard isn't W. European, he's Australian.