Posted on 02/06/2008 1:13:40 PM PST by blam
Prince Andrew angers Palace with US attack
By Andrew Pierce
Last Updated: 2:44am GMT 06/02/2008
The Duke of York has angered the Queen and senior politicians with his extraordinary attack on the White House on the eve of his trade mission to the United States.
Downing Street and the Foreign Office were also dismayed by the timing of his comments so close to the Super Tuesday primaries.
The Duke of York is about to embark on a 10-day mission to the US as British trade envoy
The duke's criticism, in a newspaper interview, of President Bush's post-war strategy for Iraq demolished the protocol that members of the Royal Family refrain from public comment on sensitive international and political issues.
In the interview, timed to mark the start of his 10-day mission to the US in his role as a British trade envoy, he said that there were "occasions when people in the UK would wish that those in responsible positions in the US might listen and learn from our experiences".
The aftermath of the Iraq conflict fuelled a "healthy scepticism" towards what is said in Washington, and a feeling of "why didn't anyone listen to what was said and the advice that was given?"
The remarks caused astonishment in Whitehall. The Prime Minister's official spokesman declined to be drawn but both Downing Street and the Foreign Office were irritated.
A senior Whitehall source said: "The remarks are not just unhelpful but the timing could not be much worse as the Super Tuesday primaries unfold.
"If Iraq had been a big issue in those elections his remarks could have been turned into a major diplomatic incident. He of all people should know that."
The Queen, who always studiously avoids politically sensitive subjects, was unhappy at the controversy, according to royal sources. One said: "Of course he should not have strayed into that area."
Sir Menzies Campbell, the former Liberal Democrat leader who is a member of the Commons foreign affairs select committee, said: "These are stormy waters. Prince Andrew would be well advised to steer clear of them. I imagine that the Foreign Office and Number 10 are not best pleased by his intervention."
Mike Gapes, the chairman of the same committee, said: "Members of the Royal Family should not get involved in politically controversial matters. I was very surprised by what he said. I do not know who his advisers are, but he needs new ones."
A White House spokesman declined to comment on the comments by the duke, who served in the Royal Navy for 22 years and was a helicopter pilot during the Falklands conflict.
He described that experience as one that changed him "out of all recognition".
Buckingham Palace confirmed the published quotes in the International Herald Tribune were accurate. "The remarks he made were not meant as a rebuke or an attack," said a spokesman.
The duke was referring indirectly to the criticism made by senior British military figures that the US did not heed advice about the decision to ban Saddam Hussein's Ba'ath Party and the dismantling of the Iraqi military.
The duke said that because of its imperial history, Britain had experienced much of what the US was going through in Iraq.
"If you are looking at colonialism,... at operations on an international scale,... at understanding each other's culture, understanding how to operate in a military insurgency campaign - we have been through them all," he was quoted as saying.
Screw the monarchy we whipped their arse ages ago and became freemen. They have zero influence in the US. We aren’t in the retarded commonwealth. They can wallow in their socialism and moon cult huggie programs. They will lose their sovereignty to the communist lite EU superstate anyhow. I have seen and read enough anti-US garbage to come out of the UK and EU to last 10 lifetimes. Not so Great Britain indeed. Our coast guard could stomp their royal navy.
The Duke is just upset he will not be able to hook-up with Heath when he gets here.
Prince Andrew is certainly not the first British royal to undermine his own country’s foreign policy. Right now, I’m reading a biography of the Duchess of Windsor, formerly Wallis Simpson. Before and during World War II, the Windsors were very pro-Nazi, and engaged in a number of downright treasonous activities.
“”I’m afraid Andy is right that we made a lot of mistakes immediately following Saddam’s ouster. It wasn’t until the last year or so that we really started making serious headway. We’d have been better served to employ the Petraeus strategy from the day we rolled into Baghdad.””
Except that if we listened to Andy, we’d NEVER have used the Petraeus strategy. We’d have cut and run like their army is doing. Yes, we made mistakes, very darn few of which were due to not listening to the British point of view.
That pic screams douche bags. Im so glad I’m American. Silly silly people.
Well, there’s irrelevance on parade in full color and stereo sound.
Andy jealous because ex-wife made $$$ pushing weight watchers
“Basra.. Brits let Shiite gangsters run amuck, still a hole, while they scurry away with tails between legs.”
Well, let’s be candid here: The British troops are good troops, and do not “scurry away with tails between legs.” Their cowardly civilian leadership in London call the shots, and the troops do what good troops always do: They follow orders.
****he said that there were “occasions when people in the UK would wish that those in responsible positions in the US might listen and learn from our experiences”. ****
Let me translate from English into American english;)
listen and learn from our experiences = listen and learn how the muslims have taken over our sacred isle.
The Royals have always been twits. Andrew better wake up as the UK is fast becoming an Islamic state.
Better worry about your own declining empire, Princey Boy.
“Our coast guard could stomp their royal navy.”
Don’t blame the Royal Navy for the situation it finds itself in; rather, blame the politicians that put them there. All things considered, the Royal Navy is still a very good force, though just a shadow of its former self. That’s what years of liberal political control will do to the military. The Royal Navy is doing the best it can with the very limited resources it has.
After all, if his taste in women (pigs like Fergie) is a reflection of his intellect, who cares what he says. It's just amazing that he can form words!
I agree. I am just so sick of the US backbiting I could throw up.
Sorry if I wasnt clear enough, I have nothing but respect forf their troops. I was referring to their leadership. The ones who ordered them to scurry away,preferably with tails between legs, as it makes the Islamofascists feel better about themselves.
I agree, Beamer made a marvelous mess of things.
And as we all know, the sun never sets on the British Empire, huh...
(Oops, did I really write that? Shame on me...)
Get a real job you big-eared nut job.
There were some other European soldiers who got in a lot of trouble about 60 years ago for “following orders”.
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