Should the Special Relationship be banished to the History Books.

John Major: Be realistic about UK-US relationship

So yeah, should the special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom be declared dead and it just be a relationship between 2 close powers as on this side of the Atlantic, we feel that the United States uses us as a lackey and it more interested in the Pacific Ocean nations

You are our lackey and yes, we pay more attention to the Pacific - but its better than being like Western Europe and ending up Russia's lackey, innit?

Ah, you picked up on it too?

By the way, I know this might be slightly off-topic, but isn't John Major undergoing an image revitalisation?

In retrospect, his time as PM doesn't appear so bad, compared to what followed...

edited 11th Nov '11 5:37:59 AM by Greenmantle

What exactly is this "special relationship" between America and Britain? 'Cause, when I read the thread title, I thought it was about books pointing out Ho Yay subtext between historical figures.

edited 11th Nov '11 5:53:22 AM by RavenWilder

Not Quite. Here's the article from The Other Wiki on the Subject:

Special Relationship

edited 11th Nov '11 6:05:55 AM by Greenmantle

If there is such a Special Relationship, I'd say it's fairly one-sided. Aside from going into a tizzy whenever there's a royal wedding/funeral, most Americans don't seem to attach any special importance to British relations.

Oh hells to the noes.

Though it would be nice of the US Government got its fat head out of its foreign policy ass and bought (and forgave) some British debt and took over some defensive duties for them, so, you know, we could act like actual friends... :/

Consigned to history? No, there's not as much to consign as certain politicians would have you believe anyway. Blair just talked it up like he talked everything else up to make the case for the Iraq war. Kinda like this XKCD strip but with international diplomacy.

It's a one-sided farce that should be dropped like a hot potato.

Sorry, USAF. But this kind of bullshit has to stop.

Yeah... that's ridiculous.

Let's see... if I were in charge of total US foreign policy, this is what I'd try to do in relation to the US-British connection:

• Buy a fourth to half of the British debt—assuming they'd let me—and then forgive it into the aether.
• Negotiate deals to replace the dwindling British Military with elements of the US Military, so whatever international possessions they can no longer afford to protect don't need to worry about some Falkland War-style bullshit.
• A real free trade deal with Britain (if they want one...?)

That's all I have off the top of my head. Well, that, and getting rid of/reforming stupid treaties like that extradition bullshit. I assume the British have other grievances...?

IIRC, Britain's military already depends on American-derived things like Polaris. Even if it's a logically good idea, lots of Brits would object to more dependence on America.

Well, Britain seems to be downsizing its military into non-existence, so I figure they may want somebody else to bear the brunt of the cost of defense of their stuff. After all, we're at fault for getting them all fucked up in the first place, with the one-two punch of Iraq and Afghanistan + the housing bubble pop...

I still see the United States and Britain's relationship as a parent and child relationship that has gone sour over the years because Britain gives the best years of their lives and get nothing in return.And America doesn't call that much on Holidays.

edited 11th Nov '11 11:12:52 AM by JTIsCool

Hehehehehaha!

[1]◊

~uses flamethrower~

Anyhow.

Let's say that the British did decide to end the Special Relationship.

What then?

I believe that the military mostly escaped David Cameron's cutting. Besides, IMO, any non-fundamental military we do actually have is just a bonus; as far as defense of the realm is concerned... well, Ultimate Defence of the Realm is a trope.

edited 11th Nov '11 11:21:53 AM by Yej

Um, scrapping of all our Harriers and no carrier capable aircraft until 2020? Plus (iirc) large personnel reductions...

No, the military is just another thing that the coalition took a big ol' axe to.

Even after the cuts we are reckoned to have the fourth largest military in the world. The fact that we've got two shiny new carriers and no planes for them is daft, but the ministry of defence was 38 billion in the red when the coalition came to power, thanks mostly to Brown using it as his piggybank whenever he had a daft scheme which needed funding. Even under Labour there's have been defence cuts.

What purpose would buying up some of their debt only to say "you don't have to pay us back" serve? I can see how that'd sort of get some good feeling, but it's kind of a financially stupid move on the American government's part right now.

I do strongly suspect that we would pay it off anyway. For reasons of showing that we do pay our debts. If necessary this would take the form of leaving a huge pile of cash on the white house floor.

Now that's kind of an amusing image.

I'm inclined to say do it, just so we get to do that.