Obama insults Norway

Tell me again about how Obama was going to heal the damaged relationships caused by Bush.

Barack Obama's trip to Oslo to pick up his Nobel peace award is in danger of being overshadowed by a row over the cancellation of a series of events normally attended by the prizewinner.

Norwegians are incensed over what they view as his shabby response to the prize by cutting short his visit.

The White House has cancelled many of the events peace prize laureates traditionally submit to, including a dinner with the Norwegian Nobel committee, a press conference, a television interview, appearances at a children's event promoting peace and a music concert, as well as a visit to an exhibition in his honour at the Nobel peace centre.

He has also turned down a lunch invitation from the King of Norway.

According to a poll published by the daily tabloid VG, 44% of Norwegians believe it was rude of Obama to cancel his scheduled lunch with King Harald, with only 34% saying they believe it was acceptable.

"Of all the things he is cancelling, I think the worst is cancelling the lunch with the king," said Siv Jensen, the leader of the largest party in opposition, the populist Progress party. "This is a central part of our government system. He should respect the monarchy," she told VG.

Is there anybody out there on the international stage - other than thug dictators and terrorists - who Obama hasn't insulted?

Does Obama have any appreciation of what the Nobel Committee has done for him? They have sacrificed whatever tiny shred of credibility and dignity they still retained after awarding the Peace Prize to Yasser Arafat by handing the thing to a know-nothing, done-nothing Chicago thug street agitator whose sole accomplishment in the eyes of the Committee was that he was not George W Bush, well that and that he seems to hold the USA in as much contempt as they do.

Yet despite the fact that they have guaranteed that no thinking person will ever take them seriously again, all to heap an utterly undeserved award upon him, this preening little narcissist still sees fit to publicly disrespect them.

What is it going to take to make all the fools who voted for Obama and even continue to support him because they believed that he would restore our shattered international image to wake up and see what a disaster he is on the world stage?