Those are some mighty big toes you've stepped on Tony

I have previously noted that I am inspired by the slavish devotion that the Tony Blair government shows to protecting the fragile reputation of British merchant-of-death BAE systems.

My awe is even greater now that I learn the Tony is risking the considerable wrath of the Decider(TM) who has had his Ambassador lodge an official complaint over the cancellation of the inquiry into BAE's alleged corrupt practices.

One does wonder what caused the Americans, usually such good friends to young Tony, to get their knickers in a twist over this. The options are limited. I seem only three probable scenarios:

a) The United States is launching a campaign against corrupt business practices and, in addition to this complaint, have decided to cease offering no bid contracts in Iraq, have severed all ties with US Vice President "I'm a Big" Dick Cheney's former firm Halliburton because of a fear that there would appear to be a conflict of interest and that the Decider(TM) has decided to decided to order World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz to resign.

b) The US is concerned that the sale of advanced weaponry to countries in such an unstable part of the world could lead to wider conflict and ruin the chance for peace in the region. (The BAE deal which sparked the cancelled inquiry was to sell EuroFighters to the Saudis.) The US is set to announce the cancellation of all proposed and previously contracted arms sales to Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirate, Egypt, Qatar, Kuwait and Pakistan.

c) The US is pissed off because they feel that the British deal, corruptly arranged, took the place of a deal between the Saudi's and an American merchant-of-death that could have been corruptly arranged.

After much consideration I have to go with option c)!