Special relationship between UK and US is over, MPs say

Special relationship between UK and US is over, MPs say

news.bbc.co.uk

The UK government needs to be "less deferential" towards the US and more willing to say no to Washington, a group of MPs have said.

The Commons Foreign Affairs committee also said it was wrong to speak of "the special relationship" with the US, as it was fostering other alliances.

However, the MPs did agree that the link between the countries was "profound and valuable".

The Foreign Office said the two nations share a "unique" bond.

(visit the link for the full news article)

This is it. This is the beginning. This is the beginning of the end of the US government's influence on the world. I can see it coming, first the UK, then the EU, and maybe even Canada (yeah right)...

This disdain of US foreign policy is starting to grow in the world. Individual countries are starting to realize that the US policies are detrimental to their internal affairs and dragging their countries down.

This is the beginning of the fall of an empire that lasted less than 100 years...

Keeping the peace,

Magnum

news.bbc.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)

I find it funny that the quotes in the article by the MPs directly conflict with the headline of the article.

The Commons Foreign Affairs committee also said it was wrong to speak of "the special relationship" with the US, as it was fostering other alliances.

However, the MPs did agree that the link between the countries was "profound and valuable".

The Foreign Office said the two nations share a "unique" bond.

It seems here that the MPs acknowledged their relationship. All they were really just saying that they shouldn't have brought up their special partnership when they were trying to build ties with the rest of the world.

It looks like this empire of ours isn't going away soon, unfortunately. Always read articles like this before you post them since articles with headlines like that are bound to be somewhat sensationalized.

I'm against empire. But... I'm also against shoddy reporting.

[edit on 27-3-2010 by Frankidealist35]

I regard it more as a dummy-spit by UK 'politicians', myself

The US is (thanks to Obama) extricating itself from Israel's twisted machinations

whereas in the UK, politicians are virtually Zionists to a man (regardless of which of they phony two-party system they occupy)


America is (thanks to Obama) cutting loose from the Israeli ghouls

leaving the UK naked, exposed and angry (we're talking political filth here, not the populace)


The Brits people are waking up. And they'd better do it even faster, before Zionist Merkel gains more strength and totally destroys them

reply to post by Frankidealist35


I read the article... Here's what I was talking about:

The committee said although Britain and the US still had close ties, the UK's influence had "diminished" as its economic and military power had waned.
[...]
"The perception that the British government was a subservient 'poodle' to the US administration leading up to the period of the invasion of Iraq and its aftermath is widespread both among the British public and overseas," it said.
[...]
It said: "The UK needs to be less deferential and more willing to say no to the US on those issues where the two countries' interests and values diverge.

"The UK's relationship should be principally driven by the UK's national interests within individual policy areas. It needs to be characterised by a hard-headed political approach to the relationship and a realistic sense of the UK's limits."

This is why I mention that the UK is separating itself from the US empire and that this is the beginning of the end of that said empire...

Magnum


[edit on 10/3/27 by Magnum007]

Basically the people in the UK are still pretty pissed about back when the Americans went to war the British felt like they had to because of the so-called "special relationship".

So the MP's feel the need to downplay such a tie because the next time America jumps down the sinkhole they'd rather not follow....

reply to post by Magnum007


Right, but what I'm saying is that they never said that the partnership is over. All they said was that they just need to be more willing to stand up for their own national interests. As an American, I see no reason why that would mean that they would have to give up a partnership or a relationship with our country... unless I'm missing something.

I'm confused...

reply to post by Frankidealist35


Here's where we are missing each other on the mark... We are basically saying the same thing, just differently... lol

I will recap what I wrote in my OP:

This disdain of US foreign policy is starting to grow in the world. Individual countries are starting to realize that the US policies are detrimental to their internal affairs and dragging their countries down.

I was talking about the influence the US has on other countries and how internal affairs are being affected by the US foreign policy.

This is a start of the fall of an empire in the sense that although the empire is not of the classic kind (think UK and colonies, France, Spain etc...), the empirical style of influence on domestic policies in different countries is starting to fail. The current empire is about strong political influence in other countries... Think of the war on terror, the body scanners, etc...

I hope my writing is understandable lol...

Magnum

[edit on 10/3/27 by Magnum007]

reply to post by Magnum007


Or maybe, perhaps it doesn't mean what you think it means? I think I remember hearing Noam Chomsky talk once about the idea of Britain being either our partner or our lieutenant. They're our partner when t them to be completely obedient to us... when we recognize what they do for us, etc. But at other times, they're our lieutenant. Maybe it has to do with that whole partner vs lieutenant thing? Maybe that's all it is?

I think that this is the the start of a lose of allies that the US has. Contrary to popular belief, we need allies in the world, and it is quickly becoming apparent that they are finding other allies to replace the United States. It is a real shame that in less than 50 years, the United States of America has gone from being one of the most powerful, influencial and prosperous nations down to where it has lost that status.

Originally posted by Magnum007
This is it. This is the beginning. This is the beginning of the end of the US government's
influence on the world.

u just might be right
and all i got to say is

IT'S ABOUT DAMN TIME !!!

the whole world is not dumb
they know the US was complicit
in murdering 3,000 people
on 9/11 and the world doesn't
trust them anymore.

Their credibility is sh!t

I don't trust them either
and I'm a US Citizen
a lot of us here do not

The US gov made their bed hard
now they're gonna have to lie
in the sh!t

There are some good people here
they're just not in DC gov


[edit on 27-3-2010 by boondock-saint]

reply to post by Frankidealist35


I think that sdcigarpig partly coined it...

I think that this is the the start of a lose of allies that the US has. Contrary to popular belief, we need allies in the world, and it is quickly becoming apparent that they are finding other allies to replace the United States.

It's a slow degradation in the quality and quantity of "exclusive and unquestionable" allies. The old days where the US could tell the UK what to do are over.

Here's something I agree with (also from sdcigarpig) :

It is a real shame that in less than 50 years, the United States of America has gone from being one of the most powerful, influencial and prosperous nations down to where it has lost that status.

Magnum

Oh please............the UK government is the second most corrupt government on the earth if the US is the first. If anything the UK has a stranglehold on the US......especially the Bank of London.

reply to post by Magnum007


Or maybe, all it means is that they hope that our government will cooperate more with their government and recognize their interests and needs. And, that perhaps their interests may go above our own interests? I don't think it means anything too significant unless they seriously would go out of line with what the foreign policy and economic planners at Washington wants. All I'm saying is not to get your hopes up too much.

Originally posted by sdcigarpig
I think that this is the the start of a lose of allies that the US has.

No it is the end of the process.
Britain was the very last ally to abandon America.

In the illegal Gulf War Two, Britain was the only other nation to support the US.

Australia, zero combat missions.
Canada, zero combat missions.
Israel, zero combat missions.
New Zealand, zero combat missions.
Britain was there at the start, but pulled out completely.

Americans keep talking about "our allies" but who are these allies ?

Now America is a member of NATO and also a member of the United Nations.
So America gets sucked into all NATO and UN conflicts, just like the rest of us.

But when America starts it's own new wars, it is now completely alone.

If (???) America decides to bomb Iran, NOBODY except maybe Israel will be there to help.
But even Israel has never before taken part in any American military operation, EVER.
Israel would probably sit that one out too.

reply to post by Zosynspiracy


The Bank of London, hey? Who the devil are they?

Anyhoo, this whole "special relationship" thing is a Tony Balir wet dream which was spoon fed to him by Bush to make him feel important. Prior to Blair getting elected in 1997, we were not the "deferential" poodle we're seen as now.

In fact, in the 1980's under Thatcher we were very much in charge of our own affairs and if the Yanks (or anyone) didn't play ball, she'd cut their gonads off and feed it too them with a rusty spoon...

If (when) Cameron gets in, we'll see a resurgence of "Britian first". He's already distanced himself from the Euopean federalists like Sarkozy and chums and I believe the same will come about with the Americans.

reply to post by stumason


Excellent post and you just took the words straight out of my mouth, I'm hoping you are right about Cameron. I know he certainly isn't a puppet of Europe that is clear for all to see.

I don't feel our trade ties will ever die with the states, I also don't think they should with any former colony as we clearly have a great amount in common with all of them and even on a business level undertsanding the way they work is easier than it is even with the other members of the European Union.

Nothing will change, it's just pre-election talk. But I hope you are correct in your belief that Cameron wont be so quick to follow the Yanks. Blair did us a favour though, he ensured the link remained strong even though he did it in thw worst way possible.

I'll post what I posted on the other thread with exactly the same title... (although it may be out of context a little)

Originally posted by blupblup
I think the people of the UK and USA will always have a common bond and always have a special relationship.

As for the governments... I would rather the UK government distance themselves from the power hungry and war crazy US government.


I also agree with Freeborn about the other countries and about the US being more preferable allies than Europe.


Although I love all of the nations equally

OTHER THREAD


[edit on 28/3/10 by blupblup]

I agree America (my country) should go back to sleep and let you all kill each other and perhaps let another world dictator such as Hitler rule you all. It is of course what will happen when America is gone.

Most sane American's detest our wasteful defence spending, foriegn aid and other throw aways of our tax money while our streets need rebuilding, schools are falling apart and unemployment growing out of control.

I would love our nation to become the sleeping giant again and just let you all rot. Imagine Haiti right now without America. It would be plagued with disease as human corpses rotted after the earth quake.

America's one greatness comes from its seperation from other states by the two oceans. It gives us autonomy you europeans cannot enjoy as you attempt to live among each other. Eventually, at least one leader over there will want to rule and you will all go to war again. It is americas large and free borders that make us unique in that it is not easy to conquere us. Canada and America are like two brothers living different lives, perhaps different lifestyles but brothers none the less and Mexico pretty much survives by illegals pumping money back into there.

So good luck and we will enjoy spending our tax dollars on our own people and health care etc...rather than keeping you all from killing yourselves or being ruled by Hitler types.

Dont come asking for love once you break the bonds, I at least wont be interested. Oh and good luck with the comming Ice age. I hear it gets bitter cold over there when that jetstream stops flowing.

reply to post by Xeven


So are you for or against the special relationship with BRITAIN..
Since your post left me rather confused as to your meaning and direction.

thanks