Diplomacy in the Hopenchange Era

[Ramo]

Yeah, that sounds pretty decent (assuming that the Queen is a fan of show tunes). Somewhat egotistical, sure, but a respectable gift.

You realize that the entire gift that the Queen gave was her own autographed picture, right?

[Ramo]

But Miss Manners from the team that supported this guy:


Pretty awesome.

[Patroklos]

Thank you for conceeding the point Ramo. I know it took a lot of pride swollowing on your part

You realize that the entire gift that the Queen gave was her own autographed picture, right?

I suggest you read the thread again, you are doing it wrong.

[Ramo]

Let's summarize.

The entire gift that the Queen gave is her autographed picture in a picture frame. Not particularly great unless you're a fan of the Queen (not the band) or want to junk the picture and use the frame for something else.

The Queen, who apparently is a fan of both show tunes and her iPod nano, gets a new iPod with video of her visit, some show tunes, as well as autographed material from some show tune composer. The iPod also happens to include some Obama material.

And you believe Obama is the one who gave the tacky and thoughtless gift. Ok, dude. Good luck with your etiquette column.

[Patroklos]

Actually, I said they both gave tacky gifts. Thats what you would have discovered if you actually read threads instead of argueing with figments of your imagination

[Ramo]

I'm pretty sure that you made up some excuse for the Queen's tackiness ("not in the same category").

[Alinestra Covelia]

Just to elobarate: Hussein was pushed into war against Iran by the US (it´s not too hard to find pictures of Donald Rumsfeld shaking hands with Saddam, taken during this period), while at the same time, the US sold weapons to Iran, in order to finance some anti-socialist gurilliros in central america (the so-called iran-contra-affair).

... and don't forget the US actually had a potential ally in Mosaddeq, a reformist, relatively moderate, and very anti-religious president in Iran during the 1960s.

But the UK and the US opposed him because he wouldn't sell them oil at favorable prices. After a CIA-led coup, Iran had a shah for a brief period of time, whose unpopularity led to the Ayatollahs (currently in power).

Part of the problem may be that both UK and the US have turnover in their leadership which makes for internally inconsistent foreign policy. Something similar can be seen in the early US support for Osama bin Laden, which appears to be firmly in the past nowadays.

[Naked Gents Rut]

I'm pretty sure that you made up some excuse for the Queen's tackiness ("not in the same category").

The Queen's excuse is that she always gives tacky gifts. A few more incidents like this and that can be Obama's excuse, as well.

[Naked Gents Rut]

White House Corrects Conference Call Number After Directing Reporters to Sex Line

Journalists seeking to talk a little foreign policy with high-profile Obama administration officials live from the G20 meetings in London this week were solicited for phone sex instead after ringing up the toll-free number given by the White House.

In a press release, the White House accidentally listed a sex line number for journalists seeking an "on-the-record briefing call with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and National Security Advisor Jim Jones to discuss the NATO summit."

But after dialing, a soft-voiced female recording that was clearly not Clinton asked for a credit card number if you "feel like getting nasty."

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/first100days/2009/04/02/white-house-corrects-toll-free-number-mishap/

[Kuciwalker]

[Alinestra Covelia]

If the iPod that Obama gave the Queen had some Queen music on it, that would redeem him.

[Krill]

Well, let's be honest, a lot of the good music on that iPod is probably from Britain anyway.

If it was loaded with 100% American music (of varying genres) then it wouldn't actually be that tacky a gift IMO.

[Alinestra Covelia]

Maybe Obama gave the Queen a load of urban gangsta hip hop. Next thing you know the Queen will be performing drive-bys from her royal horse carriage.

[Drake Tungsten]

Iranian favorable opinion of America declines 5% since last year!

Few Iranians have favorable opinions of the United States, a view that has changed little since the election of an American president who has expressed a willingness to talk to Tehran, a rare poll of Iranian citizens showed Monday.

Even so, the survey shows Iranians continue to strongly want their country to adopt democratic institutions like free elections and a free press, the poll showed. There also remains a widespread willingness to stage unconditional negotiations with the U.S. following nearly three decades of diplomatic estrangement between the two countries.

Just 29 percent of Iranians said they have favorable views of the United States in the latest poll, which was conducted last month. In a similar survey in February 2008 — nearly a year before Barack Obama became president — 34 percent had positive opinions about the U.S.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090608/ap_on_re_mi_ea/us_iran_poll

[KrazyHorse]

Is that supposed to be an important story?