America also badly needs Britain's co-operation, both as proof that America is not isolated (Britain has 12, 000 soldiers in Iraq, far more than any other American ally) and for Mr Blair's skills as a salesman to the rest of the world.

ECONOMIST: More questions than answers | The

Anyway, legal co-operation in Europe is not that inefficient: the arrest and evidence warrants were both approved, albeit in diluted form.

ECONOMIST: Charlemagne

Whitmarsh, who was previously just the CEO of the F1 operation, said there were times both he and Dennis did not see eye-to-eye.

BBC: McLaren's Dennis quits Formula 1

Both fines would have been higher still had it not been for Shell's co-operation with investigators.

ECONOMIST: A damning verdict | The