Posted on 02/04/2008 5:02:14 PM PST by Aristotelian
LONDON: While Prince Andrew declares himself a fan of the United States - and his cellphone ring tone comes from the American TV drama "24" - the man who is fourth in line to the British throne has some critical words for America's Iraq policy and thinks that Washington should have listened to advice from London.
In a rare Buckingham Palace interview ahead of his departure Tuesday for a 10-day U.S. trip to support British business, the prince described the United States as Britain's No. 1 ally but conceded that relations were in a trough. There are, he added, "occasions when people in the U.K. would wish that those in responsible positions in the U.S. might listen and learn from our experiences."
The prince has a full-time role as a trade envoy for Britain but for 22 years he was in the Royal Navy, serving as a helicopter pilot during the Falklands conflict, and Iraq is a preoccupation.
Because of its imperial history, Britain has experienced much of what the United States is going through, Prince Andrew said.
"If you are looking at colonialism, if you are looking at operations on an international scale, if you are looking at understanding each other's culture, understanding how to operate in a military insurgency campaign - we have been through them all," he said. "We've won some, lost some, drawn some. The fact is there is quite a lot of experience over here which is valid and should be listened to."
Prince Andrew's view that post-invasion chaos in Iraq could have been avoided if President George W. Bush's administration had listened more is widely shared in Britain.
(Excerpt) Read more at iht.com ...
Neither. This is their uncle.
Young Prince Andrew appears to be somewhat of a royal dimwit.
Hey, I want to apologize. I shouldn’t have been so strident in my criticism of Prince Andrew, even though I think he is dead wrong in his criticism.
I usually refrain from posting comments that harsh until I am completely awake.
The point is, I could have said it differently and not caused you to get your dander up, which I understand. It is natural to defend your own, and I should have taken that into account.
I like the British, and I have always said “Thank God for the British and the Aussies”. I don’t agree with a lot of the attitudes I see, but I do understand that goes both ways. And, as an American, I DO appreciate the help of the British in the fight over there.
I think it is more important for us to find common ground, since I DO believe that we are all in this together, something we will all believe, I think, before the end.
Your comments in this post were spot on, and something the British should be justifiably proud of.
The Royal Navy in particular.
I don’t so much mind the criticism of Prince Andrew, he’s not a bad guy generally, but he does have his faults, and him opening his gob on this issue was a bit cheeky of him to say the least. He also has an annoying habit of spending taxpayer’s money by picking all the royal duties that are close to a golf course so that he can snip a few ribbons and spend the rest of the day improving his handicap.....
I don’t so much mind the criticism of Prince Andrew, he’s not a bad guy generally, but he does have his faults, and him opening his gob on this issue was a bit cheeky of him to say the least. He also has an annoying habit of spending taxpayer’s money by picking all the royal duties that are close to a golf course so that he can snip a few ribbons and spend the rest of the day improving his handicap.....
Gosh, that’s a vile thing to say about someone and something you know nothing about.
I hope no one ever makes that supposition about your spouse. Or your children.
Another example of UK incestual breeding!
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