Britain has no political equivalent of America's "Commander in Chief". Strictly speaking, too, the Prime Minister commits British troops on Her Majesty's behalf by exercise of the Royal Prerogative. "She might remind him of that," offered one Blair-sceptic this week, "by going on the telly to address her subjects." Not everyone here is impressed by Mr Blair as putative leader of a new world order. But no. Mr Blair will have consulted the sovereign before the commencement of the Allied offensive.
Queen Elizabeth in turn exercises her constitutional duty to advise and warn her prime minister in private. Support for the assault against Afghanistan (74 per cent) has increased since the bombing began, with a clear majority (58 per cent) believing it should continue until Osama bin Laden has been handed over or killed and the Taliban regime toppled. Some 66 per cent of people surveyed for yesterday's ICM poll declared themselves very or fairly confident the US would take the right decisions in Afghanistan. Mr Blair's ratings, meanwhile, are approaching the stratospheric. Eighty-eight per cent approve his handling of the crisis. The prime minister's net confidence factor of plus 78 per cent exceeds John Major's during the Gulf War, or Margaret Thatcher's following the recapture of Port Stanley in the Falklands conflict.
Britain has lived with the threat of republican terrorism for the past 30 years. Hence the scenes of emergency measures suddenly thrown into place in America have not quite been replicated here. Certainly, there is no sudden sense of siege. Armed police in British airports have long been a fact of life - the "ring of steel" around the City of London a fixed fortification, relaxed or intensified from time to time in accordance with the ongoing threat assessment. MI5 has advised British and American companies on appropriate additional precautions. There is an increased state of alert around vital public utilities, defence bases, and potential high-profile targets. The chain-of-command for decision to shoot-down hijacked aircraft has been revisited. Contingency planners are constantly reviewing and updating Britain's state of readiness for catastrophe.
There are, too, more police on London's streets, with a particular brief to protect Muslim communities from any extremist backlash. There is no doubt a key priority for ministers and security chiefs is to bolster public confidence.
It has need of it. Since September 11th the mood of apprehension here has been palpable. Yesterday's poll showed increased nervousness about the likelihood that Britain might suffer retaliatory attack. In that event 85 per cent say Britain should continue to support that American action. Cautionary for Mr Blair, however, may be the finding that a majority of those with a view (47 per cent) say the war against terrorism should not be extended to Iraq.
It seems clear Mr Blair's reassurance for the Muslim world during his diplomatic swing through the Middle East was co-ordinated with the White House. Nor is there surface conflict between the stated positions of Secretary of State Powell and Foreign Secretary Straw.
Mr Powell says America is not currently contemplating action beyond Afghanistan. Mr Straw says no evidence has been advanced of Iraqi complicity in the American atrocities, while allowing that that situation could change. In such an event, Whitehall sources say the rules would apply against any other proposed target as against bin Laden. Is there evidence? Is the proposed action lawful? Will it be effective? Downing Street admits no nervousness about Iain Duncan Smith's conspicuous positioning of Britain's Tories on the side of America.
Despite the fear of some that Israel will fall victim to Allied "appeasement" as the price for continuing international coalition, Tory insiders say Mr Duncan Smith is certain to back renewal of the Middle East peace process. Whitehall sources appear equally relaxed - claiming "shared ownership and consensus", and citing America's embrace of coalition as "proof of inter-dependence and acknowledgement that no country can go it alone".
If that reassures the British left, it will disappoint Ehud Barak, the former Israeli prime minister. In this week's Spectator magazine he professes confidence that President Bush and Prime Minister Blair "have not yet exposed or presented to their people the width of their goals and objectives in this campaign."