That "Special/Essential" Relationship?

[sumps]

So having been instrumental in setting up the country in the first place, fighting countless amounts of wars with them since 1917 and having their TV shows thrown at us from all sides ....are the USA that special or essential to the UK? Discus!

 

[Kryten]

Its a one way street - we clamour to help them when they have issues, but as soon as we need a bit of support they drag their heels - as I recall, that was what happened in '82 with the Falklands.

 

[pie sandwich]

Kryton,

I was always under the impression that Maggie said thanks but no thanks to any help.

But I would have said it's about 60 - 40 in their favour, but I am not a fan of Obama, this dullard informed the world that the USA's greatest allie was France!

I think as far UK/US its going to be hard for either to top things like Taking the German surrender after WW2 or the end of the cold war with the fall of the Berlin wall.

So it would be hard to build that same relationship again, since it's moved with the times.

 

[Kryten]

Good points - it just seems to me that the US, while affording us certain priviledges, still sees us as a foreign country and treats us as such - an example being the issues around the transfer of technology on the JSF programme being one...

 

[Spurdog]

As relationships go I can’t find anything special about this one.

The good ole’ US of A is only interested in one thing………it’s self.

 

[Dave-exfairy]

Gotta agree with Spurdog. Roosevelt really knew what he was doing when we went to him for help in the early years of WW2.

 

[Jim_P_Pulfrew]

The only Special/Essential relationship the United States has is with Israel, we might like to kid ourselves we are special but so does just about any other nation.

The last time we were thought of anything like special is when we sent troops to help out in Korea. IMHO since then we are still paying for the decision Wilson took to keep our troops out of Vietnam. Our contributions in GW1 and OEF/OIF make not a jot of difference to them, they were going ahead anyway. We gave them some political legitimacy but let's face it did we bring anything to the party they didn't already have?

In my experience anyone below the rank of Major in the US Armed Forces loves to work with us alongside them. Anyone above that rank or in a political role does not give a flying sh!te whether we are in, out or shaking it all about.

Jimps

 

[Shugster]

The only Special/Essential relationship the United States has is with Israel, we might like to kid ourselves we are special but so does just about any other nation.

The last time we were thought of anything like special is when we sent troops to help out in Korea. IMHO since then we are still paying for the decision Wilson took to keep our troops out of Vietnam. Our contributions in GW1 and OEF/OIF make not a jot of difference to them, they were going ahead anyway. We gave them some political legitimacy but let's face it did we bring anything to the party they didn't already have?

In my experience anyone below the rank of Major in the US Armed Forces loves to work with us alongside them. Anyone above that rank or in a political role does not give a flying sh!te whether we are in, out or shaking it all about.

Jimps

Obama was questioning Israels' bombing of civillians when he first came to power then he realised who paid his bills and convieniently forgot all about it.

Arresting BAe execs as they landed in the USA was one personal highlight for me, the other was the Air tanker bid that was dragged out until the, "Right team", won.

The yanks helped us in WW2 only after pearl harbour before that they couldn't care less and we got a bill off them which was only paid off a few years ago.

Some links to USA yes, but by no means, "Bestest buds".

 

[Mad Pierre]

They bankrolled the first world war for us and gave us millions worth of freebies in the second, sure they demanded a price, but lend-lease did us plenty of favours without which we would have gone under.
Their latest issue sidewinders (AIM 9L?) were pretty useful in the Falklands, as was their intel. I think it was Al Haig who said they were prepared to lend us a carrier in that skirmish, had it been necessary.
Sure they've always had a vested interest and American business sucks ass big time, particularly my current employer, but overall I'd rather be in bed with them than outside the door. Besides, my wife's a yank, my ex wife's a yank and both my kids are a quarter yank. So I have to accept it's a very special relationship. DT_Xtremez_42:

 

[Scaley brat]

Besides, my wife's a yank, my ex wife's a yank ..... So I have to accept it's a very special relationship. DT_Xtremez_42:

The last time anything British had success in anything American I suspect DT_Xtremez_31:

After the technology issue over JSF, personally, I would have been annoyed, after the tanker debacle, if it had been my decision, I would have scrapped the JSF order and kept the Nimrod frames.
We're their friends till it goes against their national interests. In that respect I can't blame them for putting America first, I just wish our political puppies would do the same for Britain once in a while!

It seems no-one is capable slowing, let alone stopping, the slow dissolution of the fragmented corpse of our once proud and powerful state into the third world nation we are sadly but inevitably destined to become!

Britannia is well and truly floundering DT_Xtremez_21:

 

[gemarriott]

I admit to actually quite liking the Septics. OK their foreign policy sucks and they are like boisterous kids with guns rampaging around the world at times but with the Septics home comes first and bugger what the world thinks, an attitude we should be adopting.

I spend quite a bit of time in Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania visiting small towns, have many good friends there and find them extraordinarily generous with time as well as possessions.

I am much happier having them as friends than I would be having no relationship with them at all.

 

[Stevienics]

I too spend quite a bit of time in Pennsylvania, and every time I return I am reminded of how "special" we UK Passport holders are to the US immigration officials - though I have to say, not without some cause looking at the average bag of barely literate "mixed fruit" on any arriving BA 747.

The resident spam and I though get on OK though, and I rarely even think of her ethnicity, save the few very strange ways she has of expressing herself and her tendency to be politically slightly to the right of Attila the Hun.

She just thinks all Englishmen are Gay (with a capital G) though, and her friends agree.

Any suggestions? Shoulder holster and a mullet maybe?

 

[gemarriott]

I too spend quite a bit of time in Pennsylvania, and every time I return I am reminded of how "special" we UK Passport holders are to the US immigration officials - though I have to say, not without some cause looking at the average bag of barely literate "mixed fruit" on any arriving BA 747.

The resident spam and I though get on OK though, and I rarely even think of her ethnicity, save the few very strange ways she has of expressing herself and her tendency to be politically slightly to the right of Attila the Hun.

She just thinks all Englishmen are Gay (with a capital G) though, and her friends agree.

Any suggestions? Shoulder holster and a mullet maybe?

I have only had a problem once with airport officials, a sh1tty arab looking tw@t who was put back in his box very firmly by the supervisor who had spotted my veterans badge.

I find American women all try to feed me and ply with home made and brewed delicacies which is nice. I like guns and so I fit right inDT_Xtremez_14:

 

[Stax]

Overall I like the Spams, they do put country first and we could do with following their example. My thoughts, though, are that we need to get out of Europe (not the first time I have mentioned this) and forge stronger links with the Commonwealth. We have a shared History with many of these countries (we invaded or stole them at one time or another) but its got to be better than some of those across the Channel!

 

[Shugster]

I admit to actually quite liking the Septics. OK their foreign policy sucks and they are like boisterous kids with guns rampaging around the world at times but with the Septics home comes first and bugger what the world thinks, an attitude we should be adopting.

I spend quite a bit of time in Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania visiting small towns, have many good friends there and find them extraordinarily generous with time as well as possessions.

I am much happier having them as friends than I would be having no relationship with them at all.

I too spend quite a bit of time in Pennsylvania, and every time I return I am reminded of how "special" we UK Passport holders are to the US immigration officials - though I have to say, not without some cause looking at the average bag of barely literate "mixed fruit" on any arriving BA 747.

The resident spam and I though get on OK though, and I rarely even think of her ethnicity, save the few very strange ways she has of expressing herself and her tendency to be politically slightly to the right of Attila the Hun.

She just thinks all Englishmen are Gay (with a capital G) though, and her friends agree.

Any suggestions? Shoulder holster and a mullet maybe?

Next time you're in Pennsylvania there's a nice little airfield I used to fly from with good people. I will definately be visiting again next time I get over to Uncle Sam...

http://www.yardscreeksoaring.com/

Get yourselves over there for a flight and you won't regret it.

 

[Mad Pierre]

I too spend quite a bit of time in Pennsylvania, and every time I return I am reminded of how "special" we UK Passport holders are to the US immigration officials

The last time I went through Philadelphia I went straight through with a stamp and a smile, collected the bags and then had to wait 20 mins for the girlfriend to get through her US passport holders queue.
The guy with the Glock was concerned that she had been outside the US for 3 months and was incredulous when she told him she was only back in the US while the British Consulate processed her marriage visa. Leaving the US to live elsewhere is something I've often found Americans can't understand, they treat it like an act of treason.