Taking a step back from whether the decision was correct or not the way in which David Cameron, Obama and the Senate have both commented on the situation and then issued "invitations" to members of another government to come explain themselves smacks of all the bad things that are hallmarks of arrogant and overbearing US and UK administrations.
On Cameron the man is a great tactician. On one hand he can distance himself from this given he was not UK PM at the time and on another he can say "This was a Scottish decision" thereby making the SNP administration seem like some left wing radical govt which takes lunatic decisions.
Obama is the greatest disappointment of all here. An educated man who declares himself a liberal but grasps this opportunity to show he has cahoonas to the US population. He either, like most US citizens, has no idea that Scotland has had its own legal system for much longer than his country has existed or alternatively like Cameron is using this to his own ends.
The linkage to BP on the back of the gulf fiasco is another non-coincidental link which serves him well in allowing the US to continually villify BP whilst conveniently forgetting that with a 40% stake from US investers it has reaped all the benefits of a successful BP for many years.
All in all totally disgraceful bullying tactics from both the US and UK governments.
Maybe we should put the boot on the other foot here ? Some suggestions for the US and UK govt's to come to Scotland to explain themselves
- The declaration of a completely illegal war in Iraq which has cost so many lives
- To answer for human rights abuses (akin to the US concerns aimed at China) in execution of hundreds of people within the penal system in the US
- How is the effort in Bhopal going to clear up after 26 years when Union Carbide flagrantly ignored safety advice rsulting in the deats of 16,000 people and another 500,000 being impacted
- Back off and whilst you may disagree with decisions at least show some respect for other governments and countries
- Those in glass houses should be wary of throwing stones.
