Beggar thy neighbor, bankrupt thy country, appease thy foe?
Michael Van Der Galien posts that two newspapers, the Dutch Telegraaf and the UK’s Daily Telegraph reported that Gordon Brown had requested meetings with Barack Obama this week but had been rebuffed. The Daily Telegraph says Brown had made five requests for a public appearance,
British officials made five attempts to secure official talks with the US President and even agreed to a policy change in an attempt to land a joint appearance between the two leaders, said diplomatic sources.
Gordon Brown has denied being snubbed by the US president after diplomatic sources told the BBC his team had been “frantic” to secure bilateral talks.
Mr Brown told US TV he and President Barack Obama “talk all the time” and he insisted the special relationship was “strong and continues to strengthen”.
No 10 said they had a wide-ranging chat after a UN dinner – understood to have taken place in the UN’s kitchens.
In the kitchen?
What, they were going back for more dessert and happened to run into each other?
How many times did Brown try?
Asked whether there were five requests for a bilateral meeting as has been suggested, she said that in the run-up to the trip there would have been numerous calls, but the number was not the issue.
Well, I’m sure Brown had plenty of time to watch those DVDs Obama gave him last March, while he was waiting for a reply to those five requests.
The Telegraph says that, while the rebuff was payback for the release of the Lockerbie bomber,
In a speech to the United Nations, Mr Obama said the world must “move in a new direction” and “embrace a new era of engagement”. That was seen as a sign that the President was more likely to place emphasis on relations with a wide range of countries rather than rely on old alliances.
Payback for the release of the Lockerbie bomber, while being the opening act for Gaddafi yesterday morning – during which Gaddafi pre-empted Brown’s turn to speak.
However, it’s difficult to ascertain who’s more inept, Brown or Obama, considering how Brown walked out early from
a dinner where he was honoured as Statesman of the Year. Guests paid $1,000 to attend the function attended by, among others, Henry Kissinger and the pop star Bono.
The new diplomacy on both sides of the Atlantic: “Beggar thy neighbor, bankrupt thy country, appease thy foe.”
(h/t TigerHawk for the Bret Stephens quote)
Let’s see if I have the current Truthspeak correct. Tony Blair, who did disagree and argue with George Bush, is still a poodle. But Gordon Brown who has done everything possible including rolling over into a submission posture and carrying his leash around is still considered independent. Nah, it just doesn’t ring correctly.