DIPLOMACY - CHICAGO STYLE

Well, England is mad.

I can't say that I blame them. Our Dear Leader has been doing everything he can to disrespect them since taking office. Seems like just last year they were our closest ally.

First, he told therm to take back the Statue of Churchill that was given as an official state present. It had been sitting in the Oval Office when he took over. He could have moved it to some other room, but he decided to send it back. Which was a direct insult.

Then there was the present scandal. As customary, the President and the British Prime Minster exchange meaningful gifts when they first meet. PM Brown bought some very nice and priceless gifts for Our Dear Leader.

Our Dear Leader sent someone down to the White House gift shop and got PM Brown a bunch of DVD's, Unfortunately, these prized and valued gifts do not work on the European DVD players.

Then there was that whole Queen thing, where they broke all protocol, and got all touchie with Her Majesty. And for her official gift, gave her an I-POD filled with glorious speeches that Our Dear Leader had made over the course of the campaign.

The British government, for the first time in 200 years, has officially complained that they can not get anyone in our State Department to talk to them . I am sure some one is there. Maybe they just hide under the desk when the British call.

There have been other snubs and diplomatic blunders, enough for a full term, let alone 6 months.

Which brings us to the GITMO detainees. Bermuda is still part of the Greater British Realm. And logic would dictate that in order to pawn off some bad guys there, you would have to talk to the British Government.

Unless you are the Benevolent President of the World.

The prime minister of Bermuda, Ewart Brown, disclosed that talks regarding the Uighurs had been going on for a full month, with London kept in the dark. Nothing like this happens overnight. We started these discussions the middle of May, he said. "You can understand that this matter is of such significance and why the talks had to be private and somewhat restricted

The talks had to be private and somewhat restricted, can't tell the Brit's, they might let the cat out of the bag.

One senior British official said: The Americans were fully aware of the foreign-policy understanding we have with Bermuda and they deliberately chose to ignore it. This is not the kind of behavior one expects from an ally.

And now there seems to be confusion on our governments part on who we talked to and when.

An official in Washington said: "We did talk to them before the Uighurs got on the plane." This, however, was flatly denied by the British governor, Sir Richard Gozney, who maintained yesterday: We were only told this morning.

That would be after the GITMO guys arrived. I think the British patience is starting to wear thin with our new Administration.

Well, I guess it comes down to who do you believe, Our Dear Leader, or the British.

My opinion, Our Dear Leader's honesty record isn't looking too good so far. For all the talk of a transparent Government, things seem to be even more muddied up, and done in secret behind closed doors.