US military banned from London

Though I find reprehensible the news that two bases of American military (at RAF Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk) have been banned from visiting London there is something we Brits all should know.

Bbefore we begin 'throwing stones' we should know that after 9/11 a similar directive was issued by the British Army to its personnel.

Undoubtedly however this latest US air force directive to its military personnel does not send out the best of messages. Worst of all for conservative journalists like me it gives the anti-American BBC the ammuniition it so often delights in (as it has this morning) to juxtaposition the announcement alongside President Bush's quote "In this difficult hour, the people of Great Britain can know the American people people stand with you".

Not so in RAF's Mildenall and Lakenheath, apparently. I hope they have the good PR sense to withdraw it in double-quick time.