I've been working in the sitooterie this afternoon with the radio for company. BBC Scotland news reported that Barack Obama is visiting Iraq and is at a US airbase, but he's unable to meet the President because the weather is too bad for helicopters to fly. It was also said President Obama will be telephoning the Iraqi President instead. As I used to say 20 years ago 'big deal.'
We all know a US military base in Iraq comes under the US constitution and is not part of the occupied country, therefore Obama is not in Iraq he's visiting a US base. Quite an insult to the Iraqi hierarchy for him to act in such a manner and I'm sure there will be plenty international comment.
Yesterday Obama told the Austrians their language was Austrian and now another big faux pas. It's my understanding the American President has an entourage of hundreds with him on this trip. Obviously he's forgotten to bring any talent from his Foreign Office and Diplomatic Service.
As I was writing this I notice Craig Murray, who has considerable expertise in the diplomatic field, has posted about the same thing. Like me he's astonished at the level of insult to the Iraqi President.
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OK, so if he's merely visting a US airbase and not venturing elsewhere then that's worth pointing out, but the point about the constitutional position seems a bit pedantic.
Likewise, flying him to a base in Iraq is likely to be a security nightmare anyway, never mind the difficulty of getting him elsewhere.
Anyway, the BBC is reporting that he's met the Iraqi prime minister, and I suspect that when the precise itinary is revealed after the event then the scenario will seem a bit more nuanced than you portray, Subrosa.
I disagree with you here Stuart as I do have a little experience of military bases and the protocol that ought to be used with regard to the 'host' nation.
This is a total insult. Nothing like this has happened for years by any western country. No top representative just arrives without letting the 'host' nation know. It isn't safe and it isn't sensible. In fact it is quite dangerous as his troops rely on the Iraqi troops nowadays and they can turn as quick as you like.
You may think it's pedantic, I certainly don't and for the BBC to report Obama is in Iraq, as if he was visiting the country, then it's just a lie.
He's there because it's one of the safest places for him to be in the east. He's with his own and protected by his own country.
I only reiterated what BBC Newsround was reporting at 4pm Stuart. If the Americans have now decided the weather is good enough for helicopters to fly so as Obama could meet the Iraqi PM then that's fine.
No I don't think I'm being pedantic. I'm looking to the future when these diplomatic 'pedantic' incidents become serious events in the eyes of some. I'm old enough to remember the result of Cyprus back in the 70s.
Well I think we'll just have to agree to differ on this, Subrosa, and as a layman with no specialist knowledge on these things - like 99% plus of the population - to suggest that the BBC is lying over this or that the visit will precipitate some kind of huge diplomatic incident doesn't really resonate with me, but I'll leave it to you and Craig Murray to comment on it :0)
"Austrian" is a wee bit different from Hochdeutsch I guess. Maybe Obama was being smarter than it first seemed!
You know as well as I do Forfar Loon, it's all German with of course, Hochdeutsch being the equivalent of Oxford English.
A small but very poor error by Obama. You would have thought he'd have asked what language was spoken before he talked to an Austrian audience. Wonder how he'd have managed in Switzerland - he'd possibly think they speak Swiss :)
Now now Stuart I didn't say the BBC were lying, I said they were misinforming us, quite a difference.
Actually Stuart in diplomatic circles it is a big error as I've said already. Not one that would be expected from the US President.
It's certainly no official visit to Iraq.
Now now now Subrosa (note, three 'nows'), at 20.35 last night you said:
"...for the BBC to report Obama is in Iraq, as if he was visiting the country, then it's just a lie."
Rosie, so do we speak Scottish or English?
Ooops Stuart, hoisted by my own petard but the important word 'visiting' was said by the BBC. Truly it implied Obama was in Iraq on an official visit and that's completely wrong.
The US PR machine should have left this well alone and said nothing. Heads of state and others of the great and the good, visit military bases regularly and it is not necessary that these visits are recorded.
So Stuart, I offer you an 'apol' because I don't think the full 'ogy' is justified.
Well said. You gotta point here
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