I’ve mentioned here previously the fact that Polish diplomats are under strict instructions to remonstrate strongly against any use of the expression ‘Polish concentration camps’ or the like to refer to the Nazi death camps built on Polish territory during WW2.

Well, they have a fine opportunity to take this issue up with President Obama whose dopey speechwriters led him straight into this blunder at a high profile occasion to honour the memory of a distinguished Polish-American, Jan Karski: 

Storms in Poland!

President Komorowski has written to President Obama on the subject. PM Tusk has spoken in strong words. Foreign Minister Sikorski has taken a swipe at the "ignorance and incompetence" displayed at this ceremony.

The Economist:

The White House emailed me this:

The President was referring to Nazi death camps operated in Poland. The President has demonstrated in word and deed his rock-solid commitment to our close alliance with Poland.” – Tommy Vietor, NSC Spokesman

America’s damage control can be impressively prompt. But not doing the damage in the first place is even better.

Here is the transcript of the President’s remarks from the White House website. I have seen some suggestions that the official version is being changed to reflect Polish sensitivities, but as of noon UK time today the original offending phrase is still there.

Hmm.

An unfortunate lapse, and precisely the wrong occasion for it.

Obama Memo to Self: smack those speechwriters round their cheeky heads and get them to do some checking. What is this crap? Hillary Clinton??!!??

But I wonder if the sheer intensity of the Polish reaction to what was an easy mistake to make if you’re not familiar with the politics of the issue might not be counterproductive. If I were the White House senior people, I’d be thinking that the reaction from Warsaw has exploded from being reasonable to downright annoying if not provocative, not least because it opens a new line of attack for Republicans.

Just when things were going so well.