UK: Poodle No More!

[Humbert]

'Special Relationship' Between U.S. And Great Britain Should End, U.K. Lawmakers Say

| 03/28/10 05:31 AM |
LONDON — The "special relationship" is not so special any more.
That's the word from a committee of lawmakers in Britain who say the phrase coined by Winston Churchill to describe the country's close ties with the United States should no longer be used because it fails to reflect a true picture of relations between the two countries.
Parliament's Foreign Affairs Select Committee said the government should be "less deferential" toward the Americans and take a more realistic view of the relationship. In a report published Sunday, the committee said that, while ties with America remain close, it is important to recognize that Britain is just one of many countries with important U.S. links.
"The overuse of the phrase by some politicians and many in the media serves simultaneously to devalue its meaning and to raise unrealistic expectations about the benefits the relationship can deliver to the U.K.," the committee said in its report.
Churchill used the phrase shortly after World War II to describe the shared cultural, political and historic ties that helped defeat Nazi Germany, and the fears of the looming Cold War.
But in recent years, the timeworn expression has often been derided – suggesting that Britain was subservient to the United States. That was particularly the case in what was seen as Britain's unquestioning support of former President George W. Bush during the Iraq war.
"The perception that the British government was a subservient 'poodle' to the U.S. administration leading up to the period of the invasion of Iraq and its aftermath is widespread both among the British public and overseas," the report said. "This perception, whatever its relation to reality, is deeply damaging to the reputation and interests of the U.K."
The committee suggested Britain should be more pragmatic in U.K.-U.S. relations, and accept it may not enjoy the same sway on Washington as in the past.
"Over the longer-term, the U.K. is unlikely to be able to influence the U.S. to the extent it has in the past," said the committee chairman, lawmaker Mike Gapes.

[dirtydog]

"Over the longer-term, the U.K. is unlikely to be able to influence the U.S. to the extent it has in the past," said the committee chairman, lawmaker Mike Gapes.

Bring back maggie and her American puppets

[Humbert]

Now if only the US populace were less "poodle-like" to their own government. Two stupid, bloody wars costing billions and wasting countless lives.

[dirtydog]

^2 pointless wars, which ones? Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan plus whoever else they have been bombing this week.

[Panda]

USA has been treating UK like a redundant appendage for a while now. About time the Poms woke up and regained some dignity.

[kmart]

I dunno if we've paid off our war debts to the US from 1945? The relationship might have to remain special for a while yet..

[Humbert]

http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm200910/cmselect/cmfaff/114/11405.htm

An interesting report on the history and current state of US - UK relations.

[nevets]

I dunno if we've paid off our war debts to the US from 1945? The relationship might have to remain special for a while yet..

War bebt payed back a long time ago time to cut them lose.

[StrontiumDog]

But then align ourselves with who?

Britain has pissed off Europe also.

[robuzo]

Now if only the US populace were less "poodle-like" to their own government. Two stupid, bloody wars costing billions and wasting countless lives.

We had a poodle when I was kid- we decided to get a Great Dane when the poodle was about 3, so as to have a dog capable of providing backup at our motel if guests got stroppy. One day the neighbor's two nasty dachshunds came over into our yard and attacked the Great Dane puppy- one managed to get his teeth into the clumsy little fella's nutsack before the poodle, a toy/mini mix, tore out into the yard and valiantly took on both those vicious sons of bitches. They scarpered, and one was later killed and the other seriously injured by another neighbor's German Shepherd, who happened to be our poodle's girlfriend (another, even better story).

My point is, some poodles have balls, which is more than I can say for the American public, who mostly acted like a bunch of panicked kiddies after 9/11, scared witless and therefore credulous and easily led.

On a more serious note, Daniel Larison makes some good points about the "special relationship" here:
Eunomia Cameron and British Foreign Policy
Come to think of it, from the British perspective there is not much of a “special” relationship to endanger. Antiwar Labourites already saw this when adamant British support for every Bush administration folly was repaid with nothing. After the Falklands quarrel, Britons across the spectrum have discovered that British solidarity and loyalty win Britain no American consideration or aid in supporting its rights and claims elsewhere in the world. Were the bogus “special” relationship brought to an end and a healthy bilateral relationship based on shared interests and reciprocity allowed to take its place, Cameron might be able to stake out a position that affirms ties with Washington without identifying himself completely with the administration. If a British government could pursue a foreign policy that served British interests first and foremost, rather than subordinating those interests to whatever Washington requires, that might permit a more balanced pursuit of those same interests in its dealings with Europe.

[Kurgen]

USA has been treating UK like a redundant appendage for a while now. About time the Poms woke up and regained some dignity.

About time we took over half the world again.

But then align ourselves with who?

The Chinks, great food, sure beats Maccy D's

[Ningi]

But the US needs the UK by its side when it goes to war,if the british army stayed at home,the Yanks would have nothing to SHOOT AT!!

[hunter]

But the US needs the UK by its side when it goes to war,if the british army stayed at home,the Yanks would have nothing to SHOOT AT!!

The poms have missed several wars in the past few decades.

[Butterfly]

The US needs to keep the UK as their backdoor slave to the EU

the sad thing is how the UK is happy to go along that plan, maybe some kind of revenge against the EU

at the end, the UK doesn't look credible anywhere, not in the EU, and not even in the US. Nobody likes a snitch

[Panda]

Obama didnt exactly give Brown the red carpet treatment when Brown visited him a year ago.
Unlike the special relationship between Bush and his poodle Tony B Liar, it seems things may have cooled somewhat now. About time the Poms got the message.

[nidhogg]

. After the Falklands quarrel, Britons across the spectrum have discovered that British solidarity and loyalty win Britain no American consideration or aid in supporting its rights and claims elsewhere in the world. .

That is the nutshell, and any "special relationship" between US and UK died when US remained "neutral" during the falklands war, and refused British forces any docking rights etc in US territory.

[kmart]

The US needs to keep the UK as their backdoor slave to the EU

the sad thing is how the UK is happy to go along that plan, maybe some kind of revenge against the EU

at the end, the UK doesn't look credible anywhere, not in the EU, and not even in the US. Nobody likes a snitch

Our geographic isolation from you mainland European degenerates in the last century alone spared us from your sweeping political trends of Fascism; Nazism; Communism; etc. Not to mention tasty food and faggy techno muzac.
Unsurprisingly, we still don't trust you.

[robuzo]

The US needs to keep the UK as their backdoor slave to the EU

the sad thing is how the UK is happy to go along that plan, maybe some kind of revenge against the EU

at the end, the UK doesn't look credible anywhere, not in the EU, and not even in the US. Nobody likes a snitch

Our geographic isolation from you mainland European degenerates in the last century alone spared us from your sweeping political trends of Fascism; Nazism; Communism; etc. Not to mention tasty food and faggy techno muzac.
Unsurprisingly, we still don't trust you.

You have Indians and Chinese for tasty food, who needs Froggy?

[TSR2]

Obama didnt exactly give Brown the red carpet treatment when Brown visited him a year ago.

Remember that,

Brown walked onstage , big silly grin on his face mouth moving as though talking,

Obama alongside him was grim faced looking the other way

Our Gordon doing his coached Mr Wonderful mime

Tosser

[robuzo]

More on the end of the "special relationship" here: The end of our 'special relationship' with Britain - The Week

[Bangyai]

USA has been treating UK like a redundant appendage for a while now. About time the Poms woke up and regained some dignity.

Quite right. Why be a poodle when there's a lap dog option.