Obama doesn't view UK relationship as special

It appears that we have an Anglophobe living in the White House. After the September 11 attacks, the British government lent a valuable bust of Winston Churchill to President Bush. Although the Brits wanted Barack Obama to carryover the loan, he unceremoniously sent it back to them.

When British Prime Minister Gordon Brown came to visit the Churchill-less White House in the spring, his generous and truly thoughtful gifts to the president were countered with a bunch of DVDs that don't work on European devices.

When Obama visited to Britain, he gave the Queen an iPod.

Gee, do you think she might have had one already?

Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who is in Pennsylvania for the G20 Summit, is either a glutton for punishment or is hoping for better presents this time.

The Telegraph explains why:

The White House announced the "bi-lateral" meeting despite having refused for days to agree to one-to-one talks. Five requests were made by Britain but on each occasion rebuffed.

Downing Street has been infuriated by talk of a "snub" and officials rallied White House spokesmen to put out statements backing the 'special relationship'.

However, the get together at the end of the Pittsburgh summit will be seen as scant consolation for the earlier refusal to meet.

World leaders from Russia, China and Japan had met Mr Obama in New York, earlier this week. In contrast Mr. Brown had an impromptu chat with the President in a kitchen as the two left a climate change dinner.

During the presidential election, Obama said he would meet with leaders of enemy nations, such as Mahmoud Ahmadinijead, without preconditions. He made no promises about heads of friendly states.

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