Smart Diplomacy?

One of Obama's promises he made to get elected dealt with US foreign policy. Mainly President Bush's cowboy actions had alienated people and countries around the globe. That Obama would strive to repair that damage. Lets take a look at one country Obama has had much interaction with, the United Kingdom, and how he has repaired that damage.

The casual return of a famous bust of Sir Winston Churchill.
Denying there is a special relationship between the US and UK.
Gifting to Prime Minister Brown a stack of DVDs that will not play in the UK.
Giving to Queen Elizabeth II an iPod pre-loaded with Obama's speeches.
First Lady Michelle grasping at the Queen.

And now we get to the US Ambassador to the Court of St. James. The not so honorable Louis B. Sussman, Democrat fundraiser and Obama's UK ambassador. He pandered earlier in the day to a bunch of American media to mark the unveiling of a statue of Ronald Reagan. But then inexplicably skipped a major social event later that night. It was a party where four British cabinet members, former Prime Minister John Major, nine US Representatives, one US Senator, former California Governor Pete Wilson, and former Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice were in attendance.

I think Lynn de Rothschild has her thumb firmly fixed on why Sussman was missing - "Why is our ambassador not here on Independence Day? No excuse. How is it that America is not represented in this room by our ambassador? It is appalling that no representative of our government is in this room. This has the feel of petty partisanship."

I wonder when Britain will tire of all these slights and insults. Last time the US and UK tangled in 1812, the British burned down the house Obama is presently living in. Santayana says those who fail to heed history are bound to repeat it. At this point I would consider it getting off lightly if that is all that happened.