US Leaks Outrage: Trump Must Act

The world watches perplexed as some kind of political feud in the intelligence services of the United States of America is disrupting the normal conduct of its government. But the obsession with Russian contacts of those allied to Trump is a domestic political imbroglio which simply makes America look childish. Leaking classified information about an ongoing investigation into one of the cruelest terrorist outrages of modern times, designed to kill and maim children with chilling success, is a tawdry and untrustworthy act of people who have lost their way. To publish pictures of the bits of the bomb which did the killing and maiming, as a means of selling more copies of what has become the most internationally discredited newspaper now in print, beggars belief. It is a kick in the teeth to the suffering and a gross act of disrespect to the murdered and their families.

That all these are the acts of our best friend and closest ally will leave a scar which will take a very long time to heal. Already intelligence sharing is curtailed and unprecedented diplomatic exchanges are in progress. The Special Relationship is badly damaged. Not since Suez have relations between the UK and the US been so fraught. Then it was the UK which was at fault over a state to state issue of foreign policy. This time it is the US in the dock. On a people to people matter of human decency and reliable partnership.

As soon as he gets home Trump must act to end a situation now out of control.