The Duke of York has criticised the foreign policy of the United States, saying the fallout from Iraq has fuelled a “healthy scepticism” towards the country.
In a rare departure from Royal Family protocol, the Duke said that the post-invasion chaos in Iraq could have been avoided if George Bush’s Government had paid heed to British advice. The Duke’s unprecedented outburst – the Royal Family’s normal protocol determines that members refrain from publicly commenting on sensitive political issues – will be welcomed in British military circles. The timing – on the eve of his departure today for a ten-day trip to support British business in the United States in his role as trade envoy – is likely to have angered the White House, although the Duke did add that the country was still regarded as Britain’s No 1 ally. His role as envoy involves helping British companies make the right contacts, meet influential trade partners, lobbying on specific contracts and selling the merits of Britain as an investment location. | Pissed about the Bush stance on the jet engines, are you? Or trying to deflect attention from those training camps for Taliban fighters? Or focusing your military's anger on us rather than on your country's failure to fund or respect them? |
|