Is the UK gvt completely out of touch with reality?

Jack Straw talking this morning on Radio 4 took on a lecturing tone to tell us that we, as Europeans cannot comprehend the depth of bad feeling Americans have towards Iran, as we never had an embassy under siege. He then went on to give us a lesson on the 'complicated' nature of the iranian leadership, with it's two levels of power.
What does he think we are:dumb? Doesn't he think we know the pain and suffering whole peoples have endured at the hands of american violence? Doesn't he think we are aware of the hypocrisy that lies at the heart of every state and government? Iran is hardly alone in the world in holding up a smokescreen. No need to look further that 'western democracies' to find such 'majic realism' (to pay homage to an author in the news..).
Every time I hear Blair, Straw and most of their accolytes attempting to explain the logic of their deeply unpopular and undemocratic measures, I cringe at the arrocance of their tone. Bush, at least doesn't bother going into lengthy explanations:you're either with us or against us. But our pathetic leaders always seem to find it necessary to act like schoolteachers when lecturing and admonishing us for failing to see the light.