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| Britain | |
| UK Times: Does Barack Obama give a damn about us? | |
| 2010-03-14 | |
| Today must be "Rube Sunday." Unlike George W Bush and Bill Clinton, Obama has made little effort to strike up friendships with European leaders. "Miss me yet?" At the G20 summit in Pittsburgh last year he was pictured walking out with the leaders of China and India, his administration's evident priorities, along with Russia, at the expense of America's traditional allies. Does this comment imply that Russia is a "non-traditional" ally of the US? When the Washington Post columnist Jackson Diehl asked White House officials to name a foreign leader with whom Obama had forged a personal relationship, there was "a lot of hemming and hawing", he said. To his astonishment, no one mentioned Gordon Brown. Instead the name proffered was Dmitry Medvedev, the Russian president. Long way from "Tear down this wall!", ain't it? The British feel particularly miffed. Within days of becoming president, Obama removed the bust of Winston Churchill from the Oval Office. This, followed by Obama's odd choice of gift to Brown -- a box of DVDs including Psycho and Toy Story -- prompted speculation of something deeper. In his memoir, Obama writes of how his grandfather was beaten by British troops in colonial Kenya. Here's the plan: You guys elect the next Margaret Thatcher and we'll elect the next Ronald Reagan. And then house will be cleaned. A senior official from No 10, who was in Washington in December for Obama's big speech on Afghanistan, was horrified that the president did not once mention Britain in the 45-minute address despite the presence there of 10,000 British troops. That's 'cause military guys are icky in BO's America.
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| Posted by:Matt |
| #21 I had almost the opposite experience, Gomez: loved Paris, didn't care for London. I found London to be cold, unfriendly, dark, and not especially interesting (outside of the various Royal Society museums). I found Paris to be clean, safe, and reasonably friendly to American tourists - not to mention light and open, in the sense that there are few tall buildings to cast shadows and the steets are wide. Plus, it's hard to wrong in a city with 178 museums packed to the gills with pretty much everything Western civilization has ever producted in the way of art. (And the food is better.) I enjoyed rural France, too - thought I will admit that I like the rural English a great deal. My wife and I were treated very well in Cornwall, Wales, Oxfordshire, and the Upper Midlands. |
| Posted by: Secret Master 2010-03-14 22:48 |
| #20 We were last in London in '02 or '03. Stayed about a week and had no complaints. Then we took the Chunnel over to Paris and realized our mistake...we should have spent the entire 2 weeks in London! Paris was a filthy disaster (noticeable difference in a short 3 hour train ride) and I've never since run across more rude people. Never again. |
| Posted by: Gomez Threter7450 2010-03-14 21:58 |
| #19 Like the quarrels of an old couple. Who can't live with each other, can't live without each other. |
| Posted by: lex 2010-03-14 20:40 |
| #18 I've been in the UK multiple times in the last two decades, most recently a few years ago. Was treated with open rudeness in London and especially in the Cotswolds. Was treated well, with exceptional and non-intrusive service, by a discreet lesbian couple who ran a delightful inn in the Lake Country and by a chatty hostess in Edinburgh who translated the distinctive and opaque local dialect for us. Also in old York, in Harrowgate, in other parts of Scotland beyond Edinburgh, in the Orkneys and in Wales. I expect I'll back, at some point, although my travel plans for the next year or two don't include the UK. There are a lot of good people in Britain, along with a self-appointed elite who are obnoxious and an immigrant population whose kids are in some cases increasingly dangerous. |
| Posted by: lotp 2010-03-14 19:09 |
| #17 I do not know whether the US or the UK has lost its bearings worse, but I am fairly confident that when we get down to the Rorke's Drift of western civilization, it will be the cousins standing shoulder-to-shoulder at the wall. And may we acquit ourselves as well as the originals. |
| Posted by: Matt 2010-03-14 18:56 |
| #16 "Barack Obama - a helping hand to our enemies, a kick in the nuts to our friends". |
| Posted by: DMFD 2010-03-14 18:41 |
| #15 Can't speak to lotp's experience, Bulldog, but I've always had a great time in England. Most of the people I ran into were nice, and polite. I still remember the fun I had many decades ago the weekend y'all changed your currency to the decimal system. Sunday I just held out my hand with currency for shopkeepers, cab drivers, etc., to take what they needed; Monday I was explaining to these same people how to make change. They were unfailingly decent both days. I did, however, have an interesting encounter one summer in upstate New York a number of years later (having nothing to do with the British and everything to do with rude people). I flew up to stay at a guest house for the week (therefore, no car - they picked me up - and no other reservations). On the way from the airport to the guest house, the driver asked me where I worked, and when I told him "Philip Morris" asked me something to the effect of didn't it bother me to kill people. I'm sure you can guess that I didn't stay there the whole week (and they didn't charge me for it, either), rented a car, and had a good time elsewhere. |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2010-03-14 18:31 |
| #14 I've been treated nastily by Brits because I'm American... I can only apologise for that, lotp, FWIW, but I hope you've also received a friendly welcome on occasions. In defence of my compatriots, I'd venture that for decades we've been subjected to the kind of insidious propaganda from the likes of the BBC (primarily the BBC) that you experienced from your own media, resulting in Americans defying common sense and electing the inexperienced anti-patriot you now have as POTUS. If you are returning to the UK any time soon I would ask that you bear that in mind - propaganda is effective on most people if it's done often enough. Don't let small minded people get you down, and keep making an effort to change a few people's minds about Yanks. The best antidote to propaganda is probably more propaganda, but in the absence of that the truth has to do. |
| Posted by: Bulldog 2010-03-14 18:10 |
| #13 The man obviously has a grudge against the former colonial powers along with a dopey junior college prof's lefty people-of-color view of world history. This is ignorance married to resentment. A very dangerous combination. |
| Posted by: lex 2010-03-14 17:35 |
| #12 I've been treated nastily by Brits because I'm American - including by B&B owners to whom we paid a good room rate and by restauranters. Yes, the smug condescension and kneejerk hatred is less than palatable. That said, pretty much every other place in Old Europe is lost and Eastern Europe hasn't the resources to kick in heavily in wars or to hold back the suicidal policies eagerly embraced by the Left. I'm not optimistic that Britain can be turned around but if it can, that would be an important step. So I'm hoping - not necessarily expecting, but hoping - that some eyes have been opened, arrogance chastened and motivation sparked to start a real reaction against the last 15 years there. We'll see .... |
| Posted by: lotp 2010-03-14 17:21 |
| #11 Count me among those that don't give a damn about the Brits (now whining) about their messiah giving a damn. Careful what you wish for, you koolaid drinking idiots! |
| Posted by: Gomez Threter7450 2010-03-14 16:40 |
| #10 Obama is a nobody. Don't let an occassional loser POTUS bother you Britain. |
| Posted by: Bob Gleanter3083 2010-03-14 14:54 |
| #9 Sorry, Europe, but....he's just not that into you. I think he left some "change" on the dresser, though. |
| Posted by: Cornsilk Blondie 2010-03-14 14:24 |
#8
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| Posted by: lotp 2010-03-14 14:19 |
| #7 I'm just waiting for this |
| Posted by: Glegum Sforza8693 2010-03-14 14:13 |
| #6 UK Times: Does Barack Obama give a damn about us? Not any more than he cares for us, the US or freedom. In a word? See Besoeker |
| Posted by: Alanc 2010-03-14 13:39 |
| #5 Well said Barb, send him back to the Brandenburg gate, see what kind of a welcome he gets now! |
| Posted by: 49 Pan 2010-03-14 13:38 |
| #4 What are you whining (excuse me, whinging) about, Europe? You Don't ever say we've never given you anything.... |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2010-03-14 13:12 |
#3 Barry's message to Europe |
| Posted by: Hupusons Tojo1008 2010-03-14 12:56 |
| #2 UK Times: Does Barack Obama give a damn about us? In a word, NO. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2010-03-14 12:56 |
| #1 I by Black Sabbath Obama has made little effort to strike up friendships Sorry, Europe you had your chance last century, Barry's after new territory. You see Barry subscribes to " I " and my friends from the Middle East, Africa and South America. You guys are old hat. |
| Posted by: Spater Scourge of the Infinitesmal1256 2010-03-14 12:31 |