I tend to view the UK like Grandmother (with the Queen's face) and the US like an outspoken young adult. There is a sense of family, a link, and of looking out for each other. There is nothing to be gained by only seeing the bad in each other. Of course sometimes family does that. Let's face it at the end of the day transient politicians are going to do their thing anyway. We're just along for the ride.
Special relationship UK & US (a myth?)
- Thread starter Nyotarules
- Start date
Prince Harry even married an American ... I mean ... what a perfect symbol of USA/UK relations, right there.
Wait...you mean there's another nation out there besides the US?
Wow.
(Mind blown)
Wow.
(Mind blown)
I was watching ET or something yesterday and people are saying her accent has changed. That's what happens when you go Royal.
Oh, yeah, she's SO European ... we just found out!
My take on this is that America took over the British role as a major superpower after WW2. The Brits kept the peace during the period called Pax Britannica during which the major powers avoided any prolonged major war among themselves. The British after two World Wars and the loss of her Empire especially the Jewel in the Crown, India, became a second rate power quickly in the face of the U.S.A and the U.S.S.R.
The British pass all their responsibilities and problems to the Americans to take care of. For example, many of the countries in the Middle East were created by the British like Iraq and Yemen.
The British just hang around advising the Americans in how to deal with those countries.
The British pass all their responsibilities and problems to the Americans to take care of. For example, many of the countries in the Middle East were created by the British like Iraq and Yemen.
The British just hang around advising the Americans in how to deal with those countries.
Since 1945, prior to that the world existed with other imperial powers, and Earth has millennia of history before the word America was even thought of in any human mind.
This attitude was common with some British people during its empire days, until the next superpower comes along and the USA is no longer no.1 (China).
Unless the US is extremely self sufficient and not rely on trading for natural resources overseas and does not feel the need to trade with other nations I do not see how the US being more isolationist helps it economically.
Because of Queen Liz 2?
I think in some part. Also the model for Australia to be a Republic that was presented was done (in my opinion and obviously those of others), poorly. The Republic would have a Parliamentary chosen/appointed President.
These things are never as simple though. I believe the republican 'side' was too fractured to collectively agree at that time, however it was surprising how the traditionalists carried through. A lot of people don't like change.
We thought we had a special relationship with the US too. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be working too well for us right at this moment.
Just a note to all participants... this is obviously a divisive topic. I would request that everyone please stick to the subject matter, and not get personal with other posters. There have been some posts in this thread that have been right up against the line, if not over. However, since it has seemed to resolve itself on its own, I won't be taking any action at this time. Just please, keep things civil, and post not poster. Thank you.
(And sorry that it was so long before I was able to view this thread. Today has been rather busy IRL.)
Oh, and just a gentle friendly reminder to please not post more than twice in a row at once. Multiquote is the preferred option if you would like to reply to many different posts.
No, individually we don't hate you guys, I know many wonderful Americans, I've lived over there, dated a few of you guys, but frankly on a national scale many of us see America as being the aggressive nation which is increasingly powerful. After all, who is the world's most frequent invader of other nations?
Did you know contrary to popular belief there's been a net reduction in terrorism here in the past thirty years, with the main factor being the NI peace process and the scaling back and cancelling of IRA operations whose funding largely came from the U.S?
This goes back long before Trump, he's a symptom not the cause but I'm sorry the idea of the "special relationship" is a political construct designed to explain our frequent kowtowing to awful U.S foreign policy decisions. Very few if any people on the U.K side actually buy into it at all
It won't. But our government has been taken over by bigots and white supremacists, they're idiots and they think isolating ourselves from the world is good idea and convinced other morons to vote them into power. There's probably some business interests that will benefit, who are likely directly tied to the government, but it will hurt a lot of people in many ways. But they aren't powerful, so that doesn't matter to the monsters in charge.
That would be we British, sorry to say. The Americans have a lot of catching up to do.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/history...-of-ten-countries-so-look-out-Luxembourg.html
Very true - it's a vacuous phrase trotted out by UK politicians when they feel the urge to do some leg humping of the US.
I only heard of the "special relationship" from Love, Actually.
I should have clarified "in modern times"
Don't worry I knew you meant Modern times anyway.
It doesn't, but people often need to find someone or something to blame for issues be they perceived or real (i.e. Brexit). Take for example the Steel and Aluminium tariffs imposed by the US administration they were imposed because of cheaper steel and aluminium coming into the US, but US companies always had the option of simply not buying it and buying more expensive domestically produced steel and aluminium but this would have increased cost and therefore decreased profits and/or made their goods more expensive vs their competitors But surely the consumer is more interested in it being made in the US using domestically produced goods rather than it being cheap? What am I saying most people will generally not pay more for an acquisition than they have to.
Good movie though.