"The President’s graceless behaviour is unforgivable."

[Tex]

A UK Telegraph op-ed this morning:

The juxtaposition on our front page this morning is striking. We carry a photograph of Acting Sgt Michael Lockett - who was killed in Helmand on Monday - receiving the Military Cross from the Queen in June, 2008. He was the 217th British soldier to die in the Afghan conflict. Alongside the picture, we read that the Prime Minister was forced to dash through the kitchens of the UN in New York to secure a few minutes “face time” with President Obama after five requests for a sit-down meeting were rejected by the White House.

What are we to make of this? This country has proved, through the bravery of men like Acting Sgt Lockett, America’s staunchest ally in Afghanistan. In return, the American President treats the British Prime Minister with casual contempt. The President’s graceless behaviour is unforgivable. As most members of the Cabinet would confirm, it’s not a barrel of laughs having to sit down for a chat with Gordon Brown. But that’s not the point. Mr Obama owes this country a great deal for its unflinching commitment to the American-led war in Afghanistan but seems incapable of acknowledging the fact. You might have thought that after the shambles of Mr Brown’s first visit to the Obama White House - when there was no joint press conference and the President’s “gift” to the Prime Minister was a boxed DVD set - lessons would have been learned. Apparently not. Admittedly, part of the problem was Downing Street’s over-anxiety to secure a face-to-face meeting for domestic political purposes but the White House should still have been more obliging. Mr Obama’s churlishness is fresh evidence that the US/UK special relationship is a one-way street.

Ouch.

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/da...-unforgivable/

[MikeWaters]

Hopefully Mr. Brown got at least a fruitcake for his troubles. Or a gift certificate to Chili's.

[Tex]

Does Obama have it in for Britain?

Last week, when President Obama got to his feet at the U.S. West Point military academy to outline his administration's plans for America's future in Afghanistan, one subject was conspicuous by its total absence from his 40-minute speech.

For while he made much of the surge in troop numbers and the controversial phased withdrawal planned for 18 months' time, there wasn't a single mention of America's main ally in the region, Britain.

Never mind that we have 10,000 troops on active service there - far more than any other of America's so-called allies - and never mind that 237 of our brave soldiers have already lost their lives there, Great Britain wasn't even a footnote.

Given the level of sacrifice by British troops, it was the most extraordinary and insulting oversight.

Had this been a one-off omission, it might have been overlooked as a careless mistake by a president preoccupied with trying to sell a difficult message to his own people. But it wasn't.

In all the speeches Obama has made since becoming President - indeed, in all the speeches he made when on the campaign trail, too - neither Britain nor the special relationship have merited a single mention.

[MikeWaters]

They should be directing their ire towards the brains behind the Obama operation--the teleprompter.

But seriously, Obama's speechwriters are no doubt scarf-wearing hipsters with iphones and horn-rimmed designer glasses. You can't expect these Ivy Leaguer prodigies to remember everything when they give Obama his voice.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

They should be directing their ire towards the brains behind the Obama operation--the teleprompter.

But seriously, Obama's speechwriters are no doubt scarf-wearing hipsters with iphones and horn-rimmed designer glasses. You can't expect these Ivy Leaguer prodigies to remember everything when they give Obama his voice.

You see, the "I hate America" tour of Europe didn't really include Britain they speak English and he was afraid he'd be understood there. Maybe the Brits didn't campaign hard enough for his Nobel Peace Prize with the Norges.