It warned that if Obama refused to pay, the fine would increase to £120 for each unpaid charge.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson, who talked to Obama during his short visit, said he reminded the US President that the US Embassy in Britain owed City Hall £5.2 million in unpaid congestion charge fines.

This news story was on the wires last Monday. It seems to me that officials in City Hall completely lack the Arab hospitality. They do not have any respect for the leaders of great countries.

How dare they ask their guest, Obama, to pay the charges for his motorcade? How dare they show so much impoliteness and effrontery to the leader of the single superpower in the world?

Londoners should have intensive etiquette courses on how to deal with leaders. In the Arab world, there is great respect for all the leaders of the world. If they want to cross the street in any of our towns or cities, life will completely stop. The citizens have to stop where they are until the leader and his entourage passes. Our citizens have to stay in their cars even for hours and they will be happy to do this. They never complain or feel annoyed.

If the motorcade of our noble guest delayed patients from going to hospitals, they would also not complain. They might become well, thanks to the blessings of our great guest!!

If a pregnant woman went into labor, she would cry with joy that her baby is the happiest person on earth since he or she had seen the president!

In the Arab countries, if a traffic policeman hands out a ticket to the president’s driver’s donkey, he will be fired from his job or transferred to a remote area.

Oh Londoners. Enough of idealism. You should respect the leaders. It is only the citizens who should be asked to pay fines.

A whisper: Egyptian writer Najeeb Mahfouz, a Noble Prize laureate, said: “Fear does not stop death. It stops life.”

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