is it just their President?
I ask, following the absence of President Obama from Baroness Thatcher's funeral. Hillary Clinton also couldn't be bothered to attend nor her successor, John Kerry. Instead the USA was represented by an embassy flunkey and the most recent former ambassador.
This was shabby behavior. Unbecoming a country that positions itself as a super-power. What a way to treat a country, which it is often said, is its greatest ally. This was Obama at his typical worst. Prior to his election, in 2008, Europeans fawned over him (remember the Berlin rally?) and worshipped at his feet. Once elected, and having accomplished nothing, he was then awarded the Nobel Peace Prize (more fawning) and yet, for Obama and his administration, Europe is a 'no go' area.
There will be some that try to excuse his absence by referring to the Boston Marathon bombing. Yes that was a horrific incident and certainly merited Presidential attention but a President needs to think and act a bit more strategic than that. I suspect that the real reason for his absence was that he wanted to continue to push the gun control agenda and 'twist arms' to do so and, because this very political President only wants to advance his vision of the USA, friends and allies, come a long way behind that goal.
Speaking of Boston, for a moment, I hope that this visitation of terror, in the heart of the city, causes some of its residents to pause and ponder. Some of the people of Boston were a major source of funding for the IRA back in the 1970s and 1980s, with all of the collection jars in bars throughout the city. These funds were then used to buy guns, ammunition and Semtex to wreak terror within the UK. One such bomb, killed 12 year old Tim Parry and 3 year old Jonathan Ball, in Warrington, on March 20, 1993.
Back to President Obama.
We know that the US is 'pivoting' towards Asia Pacific but surely even common courtesy, to say nothing of basic diplomatic skills, would require an elevated level of attendance? The US needs to pivot towards Asia because, frankly, it needs its money to finance the US debt mountain. You will note that Europe and the Middle East, including Iran, get little attention from Obama. Though, in a nod to its southern neighbors, it did send a high-level delegation to the funeral of Hugo Chavez.
Or would it maybe be that Obama was concerned that he wouldn't be the centre of attention? And that he would have been compared, and very unfavourably, at that, to his predecessor, Ronald Reagan and the good lady, herself? All I see and hear of Obama, suggests that is a plausible reason.
I sincerely hope that European leaders and Britain's in particular, take note of this highly political snub and file it away and take appropriate reciprocal action, when the occasion arises.
Obama and his administration, shamed America, this week and Europeans, who have a lot more history than the US, also have long memories!
I ask, following the absence of President Obama from Baroness Thatcher's funeral. Hillary Clinton also couldn't be bothered to attend nor her successor, John Kerry. Instead the USA was represented by an embassy flunkey and the most recent former ambassador.
This was shabby behavior. Unbecoming a country that positions itself as a super-power. What a way to treat a country, which it is often said, is its greatest ally. This was Obama at his typical worst. Prior to his election, in 2008, Europeans fawned over him (remember the Berlin rally?) and worshipped at his feet. Once elected, and having accomplished nothing, he was then awarded the Nobel Peace Prize (more fawning) and yet, for Obama and his administration, Europe is a 'no go' area.
There will be some that try to excuse his absence by referring to the Boston Marathon bombing. Yes that was a horrific incident and certainly merited Presidential attention but a President needs to think and act a bit more strategic than that. I suspect that the real reason for his absence was that he wanted to continue to push the gun control agenda and 'twist arms' to do so and, because this very political President only wants to advance his vision of the USA, friends and allies, come a long way behind that goal.
Speaking of Boston, for a moment, I hope that this visitation of terror, in the heart of the city, causes some of its residents to pause and ponder. Some of the people of Boston were a major source of funding for the IRA back in the 1970s and 1980s, with all of the collection jars in bars throughout the city. These funds were then used to buy guns, ammunition and Semtex to wreak terror within the UK. One such bomb, killed 12 year old Tim Parry and 3 year old Jonathan Ball, in Warrington, on March 20, 1993.
Back to President Obama.
We know that the US is 'pivoting' towards Asia Pacific but surely even common courtesy, to say nothing of basic diplomatic skills, would require an elevated level of attendance? The US needs to pivot towards Asia because, frankly, it needs its money to finance the US debt mountain. You will note that Europe and the Middle East, including Iran, get little attention from Obama. Though, in a nod to its southern neighbors, it did send a high-level delegation to the funeral of Hugo Chavez.
Or would it maybe be that Obama was concerned that he wouldn't be the centre of attention? And that he would have been compared, and very unfavourably, at that, to his predecessor, Ronald Reagan and the good lady, herself? All I see and hear of Obama, suggests that is a plausible reason.
I sincerely hope that European leaders and Britain's in particular, take note of this highly political snub and file it away and take appropriate reciprocal action, when the occasion arises.
Obama and his administration, shamed America, this week and Europeans, who have a lot more history than the US, also have long memories!
