Posted on 03/29/2010 3:41:35 AM PDT by darkside321
The UK government needs to be "less deferential" towards the US and more willing to say no to Washington, a group of MPs have said.
The Commons Foreign Affairs committee also said it was wrong to speak of "the special relationship" with the US, as it was fostering other alliances.
However, the MPs did agree that the link between the countries was "profound and valuable".
The Foreign Office said the two nations share a "unique" bond.
The committee said the phrase "the special relationship" did not reflect the "modern" Anglo-American relationship.
It was originally coined more than 60 years ago by Winston Churchill.
'Potentially misleading'
The committee said although Britain and the US still had close ties, the UK's influence had "diminished" as its economic and military power had waned.
"The use of the phrase 'the special relationship' in its historical sense, to describe the totality of the ever-evolving UK-US relationship, is potentially misleading, and we recommend that its use should be avoided," the committee said.
"The overuse of the phrase by some politicians and many in the media serves simultaneously to de-value its meaning and to raise unrealistic expectations about the benefits the relationship can deliver to the UK."
Three Labour MPs and two Conservatives voted unsuccessfully for the recommendation to be dropped but were over-ruled.
The committee said that the relationship was more associated now with the perceived support Britain gave to President George W Bush over the Iraq war. "The perception that the British government was a subservient 'poodle' to the US administration leading up to the period of the invasion of Iraq and its aftermath is widespread both among the British public and overseas," it said.
"This perception, whatever its relation to reality, is deeply damaging to the reputation and interests...
(Excerpt) Read more at news.bbc.co.uk ...
Special relationship between UK and US is over, MPs say
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American Revolution Redux ???
Too much drama, MPs. Obama will be gone soon.
It was originally coined more than 60 years ago by Winston Churchill.
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Winston Churchill had an American Mom...
How’s that hopey and changey coming along there...Jack Squat Barry? =.=
With the exception of moonbat Guardian readers, most Brits realize Obama is just a fad that’s wearing thin.
Well, Bush is gone and has been for a while. Why are they after this now?
So much for improving our standing the world. I don’t read much in the international press, but what I hear from American sources is that the O is more alienating than he is accomidating and I think we might be seeing the affects of this which probably gives the impression that Americans can’t really be trusted in a most profound way. The whole thing is really upsetting that Obama compromises our deepst held values for what I can’t even be sure.
Then maybe the special relationship can be reestablished. But until then there is no reason to believe that Obama gives a damn about our historical ties to Britain.
Correction :Special relationship between UK and US was over, the moment 0bama was sworn in as president in 2009.
The special relationship can be rebuilt. It just takes President who’s not an idiot when it comes to foreign policy...
Oh, no! We can’t let that happen! Quick...our military forces need to agree to follow some dude wearing a pith helmet with a pom on it in a single column through the main street in an enemy city and back! ...works every time!
They wanted so much for a liberal/left Democrat to be our President, and that’s what they got. They want “empire,” and...well, they won’t get that.
More sincerely, changes need to be made in leadership on both sides of the Atlantic. Generally, leadership on both sides is too immoral, feminized and prideful, reflecting the same in the general populations.
LLS
The same Idiots who said” Bush “was” ruining our relationship with UK are stone quiet when Obama openly abuses our Allies ?????
And this new way WILL continue as part of British policy (until the next time they are up against it and have nowhere to turn)
Somebody ought to check and see if a inordinate number of French have relocated to the UK recently.
If both Brits and Yanks would jettison their socialist leaders and political correctness, their relationship could be much stronger again.
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