Next week President Barack Obama and French President Nicolas Sarkozy will be commemorating the 65th anniversary of the Normandy D-Day landings. You would think someone may have invited Queen Elizabeth II, as she served during World War II. It sounds like this one was a diplomatic blunder by Sarkozy, but it may also be British Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s bumble. Too bad team Obama isn’t more attuned to diplomatic etiquette, or someone may have mentioned that it would be proper to invite the Queen.
The queen, who is 83, is the only living head of state who served in uniform during World War II. As Elizabeth Windsor, service number 230873, she volunteered as a subaltern in the Women’s Auxiliary Territorial Service, training as a driver and a mechanic. Eventually, she drove military trucks in support roles in England.
While serving, she met the supreme Allied commander for the D-Day landings, Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, and developed a fondness for him, according to several biographies. This prompted Queen Elizabeth, who was crowned in June 1953, to say in later years that he was the American president with whom she felt most at ease.
But on June 6, when Mr. Obama and Mr. Sarkozy attend commemorations at the iconic locations associated with the American D-Day assault – Utah Beach, the town of Ste.-Mère-Église, where the first United States paratroopers landed, and the American war cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer – the highest-ranking British representative will be Prime Minister Gordon Brown. His main role will be at ceremonies at the town of Arromanches, near the beaches where British troops landed.
Regardless of who screwed this up, it’s still pretty cold.
[...] France 24: Paris denies reports of snubbing Queen Elizabeth for D-Day The Lonely Conservative: Cold – Queen Elizabeth Snubbed, Left Out of D-Day Events Cleveland.com: Queen Elizabeth II left off guest list for D-Day ceremonies God, Politics, and Rock [...]
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I’m just here TRYING TO GET A PROJECT DONE and for your peoples info Queen Elizabeth is a very intelligent woman and is very succesful in life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Hmmm…and Obama has ever served in any capacity except to serve himself?
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Sure he did, he was a community organizer, remember?
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I’m sure Obama will think to send her a little gift to make up for this. One of those replica “crickets” from the souvenir shop maybe…
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A freakin’ community organizer! Hey kids, my father has a barn. Let’s put on a show!
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stop jocking around its RUDE!!!!!!!!!!!!:(
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What a disgrace !! I can’t believe they don’t invite the ONLY head of state that deserves to be there. Politics has gone Hollywood. It’s everything for the headline & the 3 minute spot on TV.
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It’s disgraceful that political leaders have no regard for the aging veterans for whom honorary war tributes are most significant. Sarkozy’s staffers referred to the scheduled D-Day observance as a “primarily Franco-American event.” What an insult to the memory of the 17,556 British and 5,316 Canadian troops who died to free France and are buried there.
And about England…President DeGaulle sought exile in Great Britain. Sarkozy may well feel a couple of date nights in Paris with the Obamas eclipses consideration for Brits and Canadians, but it’s unlikely veterans will forget this snub. They wanted Queen Elizabeth there, as she served during World War II and routinely attends memorial services.
I am a 36 year old U.S. Army veteran and was turned away from Arlington National Cemetery this Memorial Day for four hours due to Obama’s scheduled visit. I go every year on Veteran’s Day and Memorial Day to honor aging veterans, and have never been turned away until this year. When I arrived an hour before the memorial service this year, the 600-acre cemetery was apparently so overrun with people clamoring to see Obama that access was denied to those of us who actually wanted to visit graves.
To some people Memorial Day is just a day off, but many service members make the trip to Arlington to support the older generation who are passing in greater numbers each year. There are only so many opportunities left to show them support. I did not get a chance to greet them this year. This year Obama’s presence and security was more important than a soldier’s desire to pay tribute to fallen heroes.
Not sure how others feel, but I would not take offense if elected officials stayed away from memorial services in future. Their presence adds no value, and rather detracts from the solemn and sincere tone of others who genuinely wish to honor the dead.
Next year I beg Mr Obama to accompany the Memorial Day wreath he sent to the African American Civil War Memorial in Washington’s U Street neighborhood. Mr President, please lay the wreath in person next year, enjoy a date day on U Street with Michelle, then head back to the White House for an outdoor barbecue with French President Sarkozy. The buried sons and daughters at Arlington Cemetery won’t miss you or your entourage next year.
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[...] Arab world with more affection than he does toward the country he leads. He has disrespected both British and Israeli allies and daily maligns former leaders of our nation. He passively listens to [...]
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I completely agree:]
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You have a lot of nerve sitting at home deciding who gets recognized! There are too many brave americans who have served to count my uncles, father and brothers… that they are honored every vets day is special. Its up to civilians to honor those who fought!
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I was there. I left some blood at Omaha Beach on that day. It is
an insult to me and every other veteran of that bloody day for this
man, Obama, to be there. The Queen did a hell of a lot more than
this blow hard who never served a day!
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