The US and UK Special Relationship

What are people's views on the so called "Special Relationship" between the United Kingdom and the United States?

I am from the UK and for quite a while i've become quite disillusioned with the friendship between our two countries. Infact it is arguable that we've never really had a special relationship at all.

Having just read this article, it's touched upon many of my thoughts.

Not so special anymore

Our two countries have always been historically close and the relationship really came to the fore during the Second World War due to the friendship between these two men, President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Winston Churchill.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/8e75b90e90bd.jpg[/atsimg]

However, after doing some reading i've come to the conclusion that the relationship between the two countries and especially Churchill and Roosevelt was at times less than cosy. Infact it amazes me that the war time alliance held together at all, especially when you bring the Soviet Union into the picture.

U.S Secretary of State Dean Acheson's famous quote that "Great Britain has lost an empire and not yet found a role," was quite correct. Even today Britain seems to hang on to the coat tails of the United States, in some kind of effort to seem stronger than we are.

In light of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and now with the Iraq Inquiry in Britain, it seems the relationship has taken a turn for the worse. I often feel the United Kingdom is treated quite disgracefully, to be frank. We might not be as powerful militarily or economically, but as allies i think we deserve a modicum of respect, especially as we are sharing a large burden of the fighting in Afghanistan, much to the growing discontent of the British public.

What do people think about the relationship between the UK and USA?
Was there ever a "Special Relationship" to begin with?



[edit on 28/11/09 by Kram09]

What do people think about the relationship between the UK and USA? Was there ever a "Special Relationship" to begin with?

You Brits don't even speak proper english, and you have funny accents. And what's with Picadilly Circus? There are not even any clowns there.

But seriously, no. We have political alliances that were made for mutual benefit, but in the political arena there are no friends.

I can understand the animosity you have for the US though. There is no mutual benefit for the UK to be our ally, there are only liabilities. Your "leaders" were the enablers that President Smirk and vice president Darth used for their own purposes.

But when it comes to the citizens, I have no problem with you Brits. I can visit and not even need a translator. I don't go by a countries leaders because we commoners are all pretty much alike. We just want to be left alone to live out our lives in peace.

To understand it, you have to know what goes on behind the scenes. Who is the poodle is upto debate with me, as i think the secret societies in england run america. But in the world we see, they try to hide this.

So unless your in these groups you will not know.

I think there sleeping togever.

Originally posted by superdebz
I think there sleeping togever.

Thank you for your wonderful insight.
I'm really glad you could post something meaningful!

It was signed by pilgrims club or something, American-UK relationships

It's some gang, Americans are in Yale, here in UK their branch called Pilgrims,

bullox, bunch of old friends alcoholics, i think those dudes overestimate their influence, they arent too clever either

If i am not mistaken ,this special relationship started with a war between the two. Then after two decades - another war.
However throughout 20th century relations between Britain and US were pretty good - due to mutual benefits. Britain needed allies against mainland European powers, US needed ally in Europe. Same language and mutual history made it easier. Then came WW1 in which Britain was economically dependent on US but its ties to US were not as important as its ties to France, then came WW2 and iron curtain and such - this really brought US and Britain much closer. But it is politics, both countries had their own interests so you should not be amazed that Roosevelt and Churchill had their arguements about lots of stuff and Roosevelt often preferred Stalin's opinion over Churchill's one. UK and US had (and still have) much more in common and this is why ties between two are relatively strong. In dangerous treacherous waters of big politics this is indeed special relationship.

Originally posted by Kram09

Originally posted by superdebz
I think there sleeping togever.

Thank you for your wonderful insight.
I'm really glad you could post something meaningful!

anytime ^_^

In Margaret Thacher's own words.

"No time to go wobbly"
Margaret Thatcher :memoirs extract:

I'm from the UK and have a very affectionate view of our American brothers.
All this talk of a united Europe leaves me cold.
I could get off a plane in America, buy a paper, and read it.
Can't do that in Europe.

Im from the uk and all we do is make fat jokes about americans :\
cant really call that affectionate XD

I think there is a special relationship between the UK and the US which is being eaten away by Brown and the Obama adminstrations..

I do feel their plan is to push a wedge in US/UK relationship which aids the Obama plan to get nice new friends, like Germany and France, while it also aids Brown in pushing the UK deeper into Europe..

At the moment I feel that if the UK or the US came under attack neither nation would come to the others aid and that is the impact of the wedge that I feel has been driven into this relationship by both leaders..

To be honest I hope Obama likes his new friends... but the bottom line is that as much as we bitch about each other (US and UK) and as much as Obama and Brown may drive a wedge into the relationship, the common peoples of both countries will always have a special relationship that transends politics (even if it does include a lot of name calling
)

any special relationship the people of britain felt was lost with blair and bush. These have set the divide and the division now grows wider as one british forces said recently the american military are from mars.

I lament the loss of relationship as the barbarian hordes finally sweep the once great British empire away. It will be difficult to remain cozy with Britian as they slowly become a radical Islamic state.