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The US ambassador had Belgian police stop our reporting

europeancorrespondent.com

211–220 of 377 posts

Re: The US ambassador had Belgian police stop our reporting

#211
post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The US ambassador to Iceland made an inappropriate comment about Iceland being the 52nd state and was summoned by Icelandic President to explain. A poor joke, apparently. One almost wonders if the US admin is actively trying to get one of its ambassadors declared persona non grata .

Is 52 a typo or did he really say that? The US has 50 states, so why not 51?

I suspect that the implication in context was that the 51st state would be Greenland. Which doesn't really help make this less of a diplomatic faux pas.

Re: The US ambassador had Belgian police stop our reporting

#213
post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The US ambassador to Iceland made an inappropriate comment about Iceland being the 52nd state and was summoned by Icelandic President to explain. A poor joke, apparently. One almost wonders if the US admin is actively trying to get one of its ambassadors declared persona non grata .

Is 52 a typo or did he really say that? The US has 50 states, so why not 51?

Probably a reference to the "joke" that Canada would soon become the 51st state

Re: The US ambassador had Belgian police stop our reporting

#214

What is weird in all of this is why is the US obsessed with israel so much exactly! Was it a random choice; did they had a random number generator pick it? Why are they not going to such lengths for other random countries in the opposite side of the world for example? And if an official's number one priority is not the people that pay him and have granted him his power, should he be in that position? The US is turnin…

[dead]

Re: The US ambassador had Belgian police stop our reporting

#215
post #84
post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, they're a legitimate news organization. They are partially funded by the EU government.

Since when having a government fund your news organization is a good sign for legitimacy

Seems no better or worse than having privately funded news these days.

Re: The US ambassador had Belgian police stop our reporting

#216
post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The US ambassador to Iceland made an inappropriate comment about Iceland being the 52nd state and was summoned by Icelandic President to explain. A poor joke, apparently. One almost wonders if the US admin is actively trying to get one of its ambassadors declared persona non grata .

Is 52 a typo or did he really say that? The US has 50 states, so why not 51?

Greenland is the 51 state.

Re: The US ambassador had Belgian police stop our reporting

#218

"The US ambassador had Belgian police stop our reporting" Or reworded: "Belgian police stop our reporting simply because some foreign ambassador asked for it"

Yes, BUT...

If, indeed, the park was rented out for a private affair and the person managing that affair asked that someone be removed from the property, then like any case of trespass, it is within the purview of the police to remove that person.

It doesn't make the US look good, but I don't think it reflects poorly on the behavior of the Belgian police.

Re: The US ambassador had Belgian police stop our reporting

#219
post #218

"The US ambassador had Belgian police stop our reporting" Or reworded: "Belgian police stop our reporting simply because some foreign ambassador asked for it"

Yes, BUT... If, indeed, the park was rented out for a private affair and the person managing that affair asked that someone be removed from the property, then like any case of trespass, it is within the purview of the police to remove that person. It doesn't make the US look good, but I don't think it reflects poorly on the behavior of the Belgian police.

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