Diplomatic Leak - ambassador to US about Trump

robfosters · 10 Jul 2019 at 15:48

The_Abyss said:
Every minister should have refused it!

That's not how the FCO works.

TJM · 10 Jul 2019 at 16:04

Lord-Jaffa said:
Which nobody has a problem with, but he cant do his role anymore now his reputation and image in the eyes of the US has been shattered.

Simple minded folk like Yas seem to ignore this because they dont like Trump, but it's not possible for him to continue in his role. Blame whomever leaked it, you cant blame the US government from having a field day with this and refusing to deal with him anymore, its utterly embarrassing that this has leaked and shows us as incompetent and unable to keep state documents a secret.

How many governments boycotted their US ambassador following the Wikileaks, er, leaks?

Diplomats make blunt assessments of the host government so their government knows what's going on. Every ambassador to the UK has probably been writing mean things about Theresa May for the past two years; they wouldn't be sent packing if found out as we aren't governed by an extremely emotionally sensitive toddler.

I do think that an early departure from the post would have been appropriate if he wasn't already retiring at the end of the year as an ambassador shouldn't be a lame duck for too long. Instead, a senior diplomat's posting has been immediately torpedoed by someone with an agenda. Not rewarding that sort of behaviour is more important than attempting to placate a volatile individual like Trump.

VincentHanna · 10 Jul 2019 at 16:05

TJM said:
How many governments boycotted their US ambassador following the Wikileaks, er, leaks?

Diplomats make blunt assessments of the host government so their government knows what's going on. Every ambassador to the UK has probably been writing mean things about Theresa May for the past two years; they wouldn't be sent packing if found out as we aren't governed by an extremely emotionally sensitive toddler.

I do think that an early departure from the post would have been appropriate if he wasn't already retiring at the end of the year as an ambassador shouldn't be a lame duck for too long. Instead, a senior diplomat's posting has been immediately torpedoed by someone with an agenda. Not rewarding that sort of behaviour is more important than attempting to placate a volatile individual like Trump.

You said it more eloquently than me.

200sols · 10 Jul 2019 at 16:22

Lord-Jaffa said:
The diplomat quote was slating the entire administration, any other administration would have ostracised them, absolutely kidding yourself if you think otherwise.

Not really, I dont know of any other western country with leadership that would act like Trump does.

The_Abyss · 10 Jul 2019 at 16:32

robfosters said:
That's not how the FCO works.

It was tongue in cheek to demonstrate the strength of my feeling about it... Clearly the subtlety was lost - no diplomatic posting for you in the future.

Myaniad · 10 Jul 2019 at 17:20

Minstadave said:
He's made an assessment of his host country. That's part of his job.

The job of ambassadors are to have good relations with their host countries. Doesn't matter if its a tin-pot dictator or some bleeding heart liberal. An ambassador that has ****** off the leader of a country has failed even if accidentally.

Minstadave · 10 Jul 2019 at 17:25

Myaniad said:
The job of ambassadors are to have good relations with their host countries. Doesn't matter if its a tin-pot dictator or some bleeding heart liberal. An ambassador that has ****** off the leader of a country has failed even if accidentally.

Do you think we would act similarly or the US do the same if the roles were reversed? I don't.

Lord-Jaffa · 10 Jul 2019 at 18:18

200sols said:
Not really, I dont know of any other western country with leadership that would act like Trump does.

That's not what I said at all.

garnett · 10 Jul 2019 at 18:51

Myaniad said:
The job of ambassadors are to have good relations with their host countries. Doesn't matter if its a tin-pot dictator or some bleeding heart liberal. An ambassador that has ****** off the leader of a country has failed even if accidentally.

So you keep on insisting, but that's wrong.

It's the Foreign Office that has failed, not the Ambassador.

Malevolence · 10 Jul 2019 at 19:01

I wonder if the traitor who collated and leaked these DipTels is currently bricking it, or are they already in their bath inside their own holdall?

tang0 · 10 Jul 2019 at 19:24

Oh so we're allowed Trump threads in GD now as long as I don't make them, gotcha

All the TDS people from SC come scurrying along to add their daily dose of hysteria too I see

Crpwned · 10 Jul 2019 at 19:27

tang0 said:
Oh so we're allowed Trump threads in GD now as long as I don't make them, gotcha

All the TDS people from SC come scurrying along to add their daily dose of hysteria too I see

This is a thread about the (ex) ambassador to the US.

The clue is in the title buddy :cool:

neckbeardthethird · 10 Jul 2019 at 19:36

tang0 said:
All the TDS people from SC come scurrying along to add their daily dose of hysteria too I see

Aw bless, can I join in with using made up terms to ad hominem people I don't agree with ?

If so, I think you need to go and get your LDS treated.

wordy · 10 Jul 2019 at 19:47

200sols said:
Not really, I dont know of any other western country with leadership that would act like Trump does.

Give it a month.

Malevolence · 10 Jul 2019 at 20:21

wordy said:
Give it a month.

Boris isn't actually stupid though, he's a very intelligent guy behind the dishevelled and bumbling persona he puts on at times. Trump is like a ******* petulant child though, not only does he act like one but he even speaks like a child too.

Nasher · 10 Jul 2019 at 20:37

Trump sounds stupid, but he isn't. He knew exactly what to do to make it to president.

Opponents (in typical American fashion) underestimated him and wrote him off as a joke, they all lost.

Minstadave · 10 Jul 2019 at 20:41

Nasher said:
Trump sounds stupid, but he isn't. He knew exactly what to do to make it to president.

Opponents (in typical American fashion) underestimated him and wrote him off as a joke, they all lost.

I think that reflects the stupidity of the general population rather than the intellect of Trump.

The guy comes across as having early dementia, he's 73 so it wouldn't be unusual.

Jono8 · 10 Jul 2019 at 22:06

StriderX said:
I wonder if we could employ Obama or Hillary in this position... It'd be really funny.

Why not both (zoidberg.jpg etc)?

Seriously though, that would be amazing. I would love to see his reaction.

Em3bbs · 11 Jul 2019 at 07:25

Minstadave said:
Do you think we would act similarly or the US do the same if the roles were reversed? I don't.

Isn't that a good thing?

In my own job I deal with various different partners, some have to be treated in certain ways, some in other ways. If an email of mine leaked where I was slating the whole of a particular company I worked with then I would expect to be taken off that account. The relationship would be untenable. Add someone like Trump into the mix and doubly so.

[FnG]magnolia · 11 Jul 2019 at 07:38

Em3bbs said:
Isn't that a good thing?

In my own job I deal with various different partners, some have to be treated in certain ways, some in other ways. If an email of mine leaked where I was slating the whole of a particular company I worked with then I would expect to be taken off that account. The relationship would be untenable. Add someone like Trump into the mix and doubly so.

I'd be surprised if your job was to provide unvarnished opinion to the Prime Minister and underlings so perhaps not completely comparable.