How undiplomatic!

No political content here, but this just struck me as appalingly amusing:

JERUSALEM — Israel has recalled its ambassador to El Salvador after he was found naked, bound and drunk, according to Israeli media reports confirmed Monday by a government spokeswoman. The longtime diplomat, Tsuriel Raphael, has been removed from his post and the Foreign Ministry has begun searching for a replacement, said ministry spokeswoman Zehavit Ben-Hillel. .... Ben-Hillel said the reports were accurate and that Raphael has been recalled, although he did not break any laws. "We're talking about behavior that is unbecoming of a diplomat," she said.

- I'll say!
(thru The Council of Lemurs)

After this example of Israeli 'diplomacy', I thought it would be fun to dredge up other recent incidents of acts calculated to enliven relations between otherwise friendly countries:

- John Howard, Prime Minister of Australia, on a US Presidential candidate. Gauche, or what?!

- Segolene Royal, French Socialist Presidential candidate on Quebec and its position as part of Canada. It brings to mind a speech made by French President Charles de Gaulle in Quebec many years ago, no?

- A few years ago, admittedly, but still thrilling in its lack of sensitivity to a larger neighbour during a [recurrent] financial crisis, not to mention that it shows a complete disregard for the diplomatic niceties; Uruguayan President Jorge Batlle tells it like [he thinks] it is on the subject of Argentina: "The Argentine situation is an Argentine problem: a bunch of thieves from top to bottom."

- And of course who can forget Boris Johnson MP giving us his considered views on Papua New Guinea and the lessons its "cannibalism and chief-killing" has for the modern-day British
Conservative Party, even if that is light relief when compared to:

- The efforts of Patricia Hewitt MP and Robin Cook MP to improve Anglo-Indian relations with an 'ethical' foreign policy; sad that India didn't see the joke! Nor of course did Prime Minister Tony Blair! This followed Cook's earlier sterling efforts at ethical diplomacy whilst he was Foreign Secretary, offering to act as a mediator between India and Pakistan in the Kashmir crisis, an offer which was stingingly rebuffed by the Indian Prime Minister. Oops!

There's lots more, but that's probably enough for now ...