An Open Note to Whoever Is In Charge of Protocol at the White House

You suck at your job.

Look. I'm just a know-nothing schlub who sometimes studies history and occasionally dabbles in politics. But even I know that, when you win the Nobel Peace Prize, its EXPECTED that you at least spend a little time with the King of Norway over tea and lutefisk.

Especially when, after having been given the Nobel Peace Prize based on the thinnest of achievements, you promptly turn around and deploy 34,000 more troops into a war zone.

I don't care if you think getting Health Care through congress is important. This is the rest of the world we're talking about. Appearances matter. And flying in, picking up the prize, giving a little speech, and then heading home is NOT the way to ingratiate yourself with your hosts. Surely you could spend even a day doing the positive foreign relations thing, especially in this modern age when arm-twisting reluctant senators is little more than a cell phone away.

This was a bone-headed, unnecessary move that will do little to dispel the reputation of arrogance that President Obama says he wants to change.