Thursday, March 15, 2012

The Brits weren't too impressed

For those who have never taken the opportunity to read a British daily regularly, you can really get a completely different perspective of the world and how that world looks at the goings on here in America. The Brits aren't that happy at all with their PM and his assessment of Obama.

Have a look and judge for yourself.




 Starstruck David Cameron's embarrassing fawning over Barack Obama and his 'beautiful words'
What David Cameron described as his "guys night out" watching basketball with President Barack Obama in the swing state of Ohio was cheesy and embarrassing enough. But has there ever been a speech given by a British prime minister that was quite as cringeworthy as Cameron's "toast" to Obama at last night's State Dinner?
Watch the video. Cameron starts speaking at the 8:20 point and almost immediately hails Obama's "strong and beautiful words". It's downhill from there.

He takes a cheap shot at Richard Nixon - the easiest possible target in front of a gathering of Obamaphiles - and his own Tory predecessor Ted Heath. He makes corny jokes about cricket and Watergate ("call in the plumbers" - Geddit?) and then lauds Obama's "strength, moral authority and wisdom". No mention of Ronald Reagan or Margaret Thatcher.
Then comes what must surely be one of the most obsequious things Obama - who is well used to adulation - has ever heard. Obama, says Cameron "has pressed the reset button on the moral authority of the entire free world".
What? Pass the sickbag. Whichever way you look at it, that's ridiculous. Under Obama, despite his campaign promises and indeed an executive order when he took office, Guantanamo Bay has remained open. Drone strikes have increased exponentially - it being judged easier to kill suspects than capture and interrogate them. Military trials outside the federal system continue, as does indefinite detention without trial.
Certainly, Obama has delivered some "beautiful words" around the world, starting in Berlin before he was even the Democratic nominee and continuing in Cairo. In Strasbourg, he apologised for the times when "America has shown arrogance and been dismissive, even derisive" towards its allies.

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