'Special relationship' between Britain and US turns normal

[unhappycamper]

http://www.dw.com/en/special-relationship-between-britain-and-us-turns-normal/a-19102653

Seventy years ago, Winston Churchill coined the term "special relationship" to describe the close ties between Britain and the United States. Today the relationship is no longer that special anymore.

'Special relationship' between Britain and US turns normal
Michael Knigge
08.03.2016

~snip~

In the same speech, Churchill, whose mother was American, also coined the term "special relationship" to describe the unique ties between Britain and the US. While the relationship had been close before, World War II only deepened the ties between Washington and London.

"The British wanted to continue the very close cooperation and consultation and joint decision-making that had developed during World War II," said John Harper, a professor of American foreign policy at Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies in Bologna. "It has always been more of a British idea than an American idea."

Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq

During the ensuing Cold War, ties between both countries remained exceptionally close, not just in military but also in political and economic terms. Even after the Cold War had ended, the special relationship reached a new peak under British Prime Minister Tony Blair and US Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, with London playing a key role in the US-led wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

One of the reasons that the nature of the relationship has changed considerably since then is partly a consequence of British public opinion, which has "turned against the link with the United States a bit because of the wars," said Anand Menon, a scholar on British foreign policy at King's College in London.

[merrily]

1. Ironic. Churchill played up the special relationship because he wanted us to help with World War II.

Before that, no British monarch had visited the rebellious colonies.

We ask for their help in the ME wars and the relationship is not a special as it was when they wanted our help.





Reason 16,432,534 that war stinks.

[unhappycamper]

2. The Brits got their asses handed to them twice in Afghanistan before their latest adventure.

1842 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Anglo-Afghan_War
1880 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Anglo-Afghan_War

Blair jumped on the idea of payback to the Afghans who humiliated the British twice. They finally gave up on Afghanistan on their third try.

Once upon a time (very briefly) I thought we were doing at least some good for Afghan women and children with education. Then I read last week young women in Afghanistan are committing suicides at alarming rates.

Afghanistan, from my perspective is a no win situation. As is Iraq, Syria, Lybia, Somallia, Yemen, etc., etc.