I appreciate that not all Republicans are aggressive, domineering, scornful, malicious, lying, denying, avoiding, side-changing, disloyal, anti-Europe, anti-UK scumbags. Only the ones we see on tv. And most of the others. Who have three approaches to any question: deny, lie, shout. Even simple and easy questions like: what level of incompetence does it take to bring a random stranger into high level, sensitive chat about a bombing raid?, brings immediate denial “IT WAS NOT SEN-SI-TIIIIIIVE!!!!”, followed by “THIS IS THE COMMUNIST MEDIA MAKING AN ISSUE OUT OF NOTHING!!!” And then a swift “FAKE NEWS!!!”, for good measure. And from one spokes-(wo-)man for Trump to an English journalist: “YOU NEED TO SORT OUT YOUR OWN MESS AT HOME; THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU!!!”

This is ‘diplomacy’ chez Trump. This is representatives and members of the government of the most powerful nation on earth, demonstrating their views to the world. Joey is more subtle.

When did it all get so fucking rude? At what point did diplomacy become a slagging match? Did negotiation become a basis for personal abuse? Yep, it happened when Zelensky went to the White House. When the President set the precedent. The government with no filters.

Much as I like people to ‘say it like it is’, there are ways of saying it that don’t involve personal abuse.

The culture of the American leaders is to shout it loud and hit ‘em hard. “Europe are freeloaders! So why should WE bomb the Houthis in the Suez Canal when we don’t sail our ships there?” In fact a good question. The answer being in the nature of the relationship. America funds NATO; the member countries just prostrate themselves before the alter of Americanism and grovel a bit.

Then there’s Greenland. Which, unfortunately for Greenland, has become the strategically and commercially most desirable place in the whole of the Arctic circle. Strategically because it stands between Russia and America; commercially because it holds untold riches in rare metals. The entire island is like one big branch of Ratners. Which ‘just’ needs digging up. And that ‘just’ will cost an investment of billions and billions, without which, no rewards will be reaped. So American intervention and investment would be good for everybody.

Which can be stated in words other than: I want it: I’ll take it. It’s gonna happen.

Some of what Trump says is actually good things. But the way he says it is simply awful. Too brash, too flash, too arrogant, too rude. As for JD Vance, the only shame was that he wasn’t on Greenland long enough to get a whale harpoon in the head.

God Bless America.

A xxxx