"President Barak Obama Just Plain Rude to Britain. Don't Call Us in Future."

Those are Iain Martin's words in the headline of the Telegraph. Obama told us that he wanted to change American foreign policy. In less than 2 months he's badly damaged the special relationship with Britain that has stood both countries well through 2 world wars and most recently the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

Martin spells out his disdain for Obama: "We get the point, sunshine: we're just one of many allies and you want fancy new friends. Well, the next time you need something doing, something which impinges on your national security, then try calling the French, or the Japanese, or best of all the Germans. The French will be able to offer you first rate support from their catering corps but beyond that you'll be on your own."

Some will wonder what Obama did to deserve such scorn. Martin also made that very clear:

The morning papers and TV last night featured plenty of comment focused on the
White House's very odd and, frankly, exceptionally rude treatment of a British
PM. Squeezing in a meeting, denying him a full press conference with flags etc.
... But Obama's merely warmish words (one of our closest allies, said with
little sincerity or passion) left a bitter taste with this Atlanticist.
Especially after his team had made Number 10 beg for a mini press conference and
then not even offered the PM lunch.

Did the administration act intentionally to insult the PM or from negligence? Regardless, their message seemed quite clear to any who cared to observe. Obama and his administration treated the PM as a minor player deserving of less than full honors. Mrs. Brown flew from London and was treated shabbily; no state dinner with the Obamas as one would expect.

Obama seems determined to insult America's allies and kowtow to its enemies. What will tomorrow bring?