Obama's state department to Indian officials: Show us your papers (updated - US apologizes)

americanthinker.com ^ | 11-5-10 | Phil Boemke

[Justaham]

Mr. Obama's trip to India may not be the great diplomatic success that the administration was hoping for. Our friends in the world's most populous democracy are getting steamed over the state department's heavy handed tactics. High ranking officials from the state of Maharashtra were invited to an event at the Taj Mahal hotel with Mr. Obama, but were told that they would have to show their papers to get in. According to The Times of India:

Miffed by the US consulate demanding personal details like birth date, nationality and passport number, Maharashtra's top politicians and bureaucrats have decided to pay it back in the same currency. While the home minister and the home secretary have declined to attend an event graced by President Barack Obama, four others, including chief minister Ashok Chavan and deputy chief minister Chhagan Bhujbal, are mulling the same.

"We are shocked over the tone of the invitation letter. (US consul general Paul) Folmsbee expects Chavan and Bhujbal to produce their identity cards before entering the venue. They have been asked to submit their details like date of birth, nationality, passport and PAN to the consulate," said a senior official on condition of anonymity. "We feel this is no way to treat the chief minister of a state. Chavan and Bhujbal are undecided on whether to attend the event."

[E. Pluribus Unum]

I don't want this to happen because he would be a martyr and we would have to idolize him for the rest of eternity, but it would be funny if he go himself blown up while spending $200,000,000 of our money a day and running around like Caligula.

[agere_contra]

LOL. He isn’t just renting the hotel, he’s colonizing it.

[blueyon]

Now that’s moxie

[YHAOS]

Ironic.

[jessduntno]

“Our friends in the world’s most populous democracy are getting steamed over the state department’s heavy handed tactics.”

Need it be said?

[agere_contra]

If he got whacked on the head by the last coconut in Bombay, that would be hysterical.

[Truth29]

Maybe they could demand obama’s long form birth certificate...

[Truth is a Weapon]

So will India up the ante by asking for his birth certificate before letting him into the country?

[Doogle]

....just another protocol snafu by the inept ones. The street agitator’s best at “How to Make Friends and Influence People”
&*^$# idiots

[Paladin2]

More of that "Smart Diplomacy" that H! promised us.

Can't we get ICE to check Zer0's papers before we let him back in the country?

[agere_contra]

I wish they would.

Obama would have to cancel, but he’d have a job getting his 2 billion dollar room deposit back.

[Question Liberal Authority]

“You first!”

[spokeshave]

and maybe 0bambi shows up on the Indian "do not let in the country" list....

him being a previous visitor to Poookistan and all....

[Regulator]

Gee, they do this to Indian heads of state on Indian soil but sue the State of Arizona when they do it to illegal aliens on U.S. soil?

Bizarre.

[Doogle]

"now, now?"

"not yet"

[paudio]

Meanwhile, the official who request the Indians to produce their ID defended his decision, “Well... they all look the same to me!”

[agere_contra]

LOL, nice.

[Justaham]

“Well... they all look the same to me!”

Now who are the racists again?

[WestwardHo]

Lotta gall coming from Obama when security at the White House during the Indian Prime Mininsters visit was so lax!