But neither will former presidents Clinton and both Bushes. It appears that protocol has a lot to do with the absence of big names from the US attendee list. Margaret Thatcher's funeral is not an official state occasion, despite the military trappings and the presence of her majesty, the Queen. So technically, although they've all been invited, US presidents, as former and present heads of state, would be attending representing themselves and not the nation. In the arcane and Byzantine world of international diplomacy, I guess this sort of thing matters. Guardian: The US is to send distinctly low-key official representation to Lady Thatcher's funeral on Wednesday, with a delegation led by George Shultz and James Baker, who both served as US secretary of state while Thatcher was in power. While Barack Obama was invited, he has opted to send a presidential delegation comprising no serving politicians. Shultz was secretary of state to Ronald Reagan while Baker served the elder...(Read Full Post)