I cannot contain my irritation at the protests about President Trump being invited to come here on a State Visit. Like people who commit crime in multi-storey car parks – it’s wrong on so many levels.
First and of least importance (because it is plain wrong) it is said that these presidential visitors have been foisted on the Queen. Well, she has had some pretty unsavoury guests in the past and some members of the Royal Family might actually find the new First Lady worth a dekko. The Queen knows her duty, as you don’t need to be told.
The important point is that these invitations are extended more as a hand of friendship to a country as to its (temporary) Head of State. It is to strengthen the “special relationship”, which sometimes gets a bit frayed, between UK and US at a critical time. Did Churchill shrink from cosying-up to Stalin? He most certainly did not and presented him with the Sword of Stalingrad at the Teheran Conference with President Roosevelt. Here is the unambiguous inscription on its blade.
ГРАЖДАНАМ СТАЛИНГРАДА • КРЕПКИМ КАК СТАЛЬ • ОТ КОРОЛЯ ГЕОРГА VI • В ЗНАК ГЛУБОКОГО ВОСХИЩЕНИЯ БРИТАНСКОГО НАРОДА
TO THE STEEL-HEARTED CITIZENS OF STALINGRAD • THE GIFT OF KING GEORGE VI • IN TOKEN OF THE HOMAGE OF THE BRITISH PEOPLE
Because of that alliance Russia lost twenty million of her people, the Allies won the war and we (the US and UK) let Stalin have what was known as the USSR; he’d earned it. That is the reality of statesmanship and to bleat, whinge and whine about the many imperfections of President Trump is to miss the point. Roll out the red carpet and get the Black Watch to welcome him.
While Heads of State may act in a number of different ways, many conventional, certainly the people have a right to protest.
Great to hear yr positivity. I take The Donald to be a huge breath of fresh air for the bits of America which have felt scorned. He could not be that and be a comfort to the liberal elite and the hordes of right-ons. I hope TM keeps the very minimum of blue water between our two countries, consistent with not being the utterest poodle. Fingers crossed, as usual.
Hear hear! As ever (well usually!) I completely agree with you. You reflect my sense of irritation on the issue.
Dear Christopher,
It seems to me by receiving him she will be adding to his mental problems. He’s a mad man. Why egg him on?
Obliviously ignoring him will not make him go away but it might go a long way toward helping him see the light. Not that we want to help him. Why encourage him?
Her hand wringing, whinging subjects care about her well being, health and safety. He is a revolting piece of work and frankly
Diplomacy can wait.
All the best from New York City
Well that may be correct but he is an elected Head of State, unfortunately for you, your State. DT looks right now as something that makes a loose cannon look stable but we have a relationship with the United States which we value more than the holder of the Presidential office.
We have to give The Donald a chance though living with this vain, pathologically impulsive Sociopath..stomp stomp stomp… is not easy. Arguably Te-Raiser has been badly advised over the timing of his UK invite but she needs him a lot more than he needs her. Trump may – or may not – hold a democratic mandate to do whatever he likes but the future is certainly not bright and neither is it orange.
Let him visit and embrace the various bleatings, wingeings and whinings. I for one, can’t wait.
Supporting your view, does not mean we necessarily support all that the DT does or indeed anything.
Whilst his travel ban seems unnecessarily cruel, it is interesting to see a liberal democrat country standing up to deeply illiberal and largely undemocratic states. Saudi must be worried.
I wouldn’t want to touch his hands, but she’ll be wearing gloves.
Exactly. Realpolitik.
In very recent times we prostrated ourselves at the feet of the President of China for the important development of future trade . We have a lot more to nurture with the United States of America . We should and will welcome their president .