The Australian PM, presently visiting the US, and having met the president today, would have been chuffed to have Obama say that America has no stronger ally than Australia.
Pity is, that the words about "the strongest ally" are routinely trotted out by Obama and his Cabinet cohorts. National Review Online in "Our Strongest Ally Is the World Leader Visiting That Day" catalogues who else has received the presidential accolade.
"President Obama, hosting a visit by the French president, January 10, 2011: “We don’t have a stronger friend and stronger ally than Nicolas Sarkozy, and the French people.”
President Obama, hosting a visit by Australian prime minister Julia Gillard, March 7, 2011: “We have no stronger ally than Australia.”
UPDATE: Looking back at previous comments by the president in this vein, we find Obama saves himself from a direct contradiction by saying “one of our strongest allies” here and there: “Good morning, everybody. I want to extend the warmest possible greetings to President Komorowski and his delegation. Poland is one of our strongest and closest allies in the world and is a leader in Europe.”
But Australia has earned this distinction from Obama before, on November 13 of last year: “The United States does not have a closer or better ally than Australia. We are grateful for all the work that we do together.”
Also, March 3, 2009: “I think this notion that somehow there is any lessening of that special relationship is misguided. You know, Great Britain is one of our closest, strongest allies.”
Go to The Trumpet.com, here, to see the British reaction when Obama earlier this year described the French as "America's strongest ally".
“We don’t have a stronger friend and stronger ally than Nicolas Sarkozy, and the French people,” U.S. President Barack Obama told French President Nicolas Sarkozy on January 10.
The British conservative press was, understandably, livid.
“Just what is Barack Obama’s problem with his country’s longest-standing and most loyal ally, Britain?” wrote James Delingpole in the Daily Express. “First he insults our prime minister, then he allows one of his minions to say that there’s no such thing as the special relationship; and now he goes and declares that his newest, bestest friend is not Britain but perfidious France.”
Pity is, that the words about "the strongest ally" are routinely trotted out by Obama and his Cabinet cohorts. National Review Online in "Our Strongest Ally Is the World Leader Visiting That Day" catalogues who else has received the presidential accolade.
"President Obama, hosting a visit by the French president, January 10, 2011: “We don’t have a stronger friend and stronger ally than Nicolas Sarkozy, and the French people.”
President Obama, hosting a visit by Australian prime minister Julia Gillard, March 7, 2011: “We have no stronger ally than Australia.”
UPDATE: Looking back at previous comments by the president in this vein, we find Obama saves himself from a direct contradiction by saying “one of our strongest allies” here and there: “Good morning, everybody. I want to extend the warmest possible greetings to President Komorowski and his delegation. Poland is one of our strongest and closest allies in the world and is a leader in Europe.”
But Australia has earned this distinction from Obama before, on November 13 of last year: “The United States does not have a closer or better ally than Australia. We are grateful for all the work that we do together.”
Also, March 3, 2009: “I think this notion that somehow there is any lessening of that special relationship is misguided. You know, Great Britain is one of our closest, strongest allies.”
Go to The Trumpet.com, here, to see the British reaction when Obama earlier this year described the French as "America's strongest ally".
“We don’t have a stronger friend and stronger ally than Nicolas Sarkozy, and the French people,” U.S. President Barack Obama told French President Nicolas Sarkozy on January 10.
The British conservative press was, understandably, livid.
“Just what is Barack Obama’s problem with his country’s longest-standing and most loyal ally, Britain?” wrote James Delingpole in the Daily Express. “First he insults our prime minister, then he allows one of his minions to say that there’s no such thing as the special relationship; and now he goes and declares that his newest, bestest friend is not Britain but perfidious France.”
Comments