Posted on 03/10/2009 11:04:25 AM PDT by Parmenio
Britain's most senior civil servant has complained that Downing Street is finding it “unbelievably difficult” to make arrangements with the United States for the crucial G20 summit. Sir Gus O'Donnell, the Cabinet Secretary, reportedly said that the handover to the Obama Administration was hindering discussions about the meeting in London next month. The Prime Minister hopes that the summit on April 2 will produce a co-ordinated global strategy to tackle the economic downturn. So far, his attempts to get his Washington and European allies to agree to a coherent common platform for the meeting have proved frustrating.
...snip ...
Mr O'Donnell said that No 10 was having trouble even getting in touch with key personnel at the US Treasury department. “There is nobody there,” he told a civil service conference in Gateshead. “You cannot believe how difficult it is.” His comments come after Downing Street was left frustrated by the White House’s chaotic handling of Gordon Brown’s visit last week. No 10 aides were left scrambling when the President's staff changed press arrangements at the 11th hour. Sir Gus's remarks appear to confirm the problems Mr Obama has faced in getting his administration staffed and up to speed during the worst economic crisis in decades. The Times reported last week that Tim Geithner, the Treasury Secretary, had been forced to operate virtually on his own without any of the 17 deputies his department is supposed to have. Sir Gus criticised the US system of new administrations appointing their own senior civil servants as “absolute madness”...Sir Gus said. “If there’s a change of administration, you’re out, and a whole new bunch of people come in who probably haven’t been in government before.”
(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...
Bambi takes “incompetent” to a whole ‘nuther level.
Or they’re deliberately dissing the UK again; either one.
The Obama Administration: The lights are on but nobody’s home.
Why should Zer0 sweat little things like the economy when he has big stuff to worry about like payback to ACORN and global warming? < / sarcasm >
The US isn’t even answering the phones anymore.
Our new allies will be Syria and Cuba I guess.
The Times misspelled "contemptuous."
exactly, formerly our #1 ally is getting slapped around
The kiddies were not in the sandbox?
how long until the world is longing for the good old days with Bush?
Obamachev doesn’t appear to be improving our reputation over seas.
Probably do like us more in Cuba and Venezuela.
Chaos might be good in this situation. Obama is incompetent and WAY over his head. He is being overwhelmed, that is obvious. People in this situation don’t get too much done. The dem party is already revolting over some of this stuff. It is obvious that Treasury is not functioning. Actually, things are looking up.
“Smoothest transition in history”
Thank you and have a nice day!
Britain is just another country...
And, as part of my austerity program and promise to spend taxpayer money wisely, I am removing Great Britain Cabinet Secretary Sir Gus O'Donnell from the White House gift list.
That means he will not be receiving the standard gift package of the Top 25 Classic Movies on CD as had been scheduled; a saving of some $21.99 for the taxopayer.
Timmy TurboTax is the only one there to answer the phones anyway, right???
Call back at 3am and see bambi answers
There won’t be either. All the Democrats they could possibly nominate seem to have tax or ethics problems, and all the Republicans have left town and aren’t coming back as long as these clowns are running the show.
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