Clinton Upsets "Little Englanders"

By Cernig

Over at the Daily Torygraph, ideological home of Colonel Blimps hankering after bygone days of colonial power, Nile Gardener is upset that HR Clinton didn't mention the UK/US "special relationship" even once in her confirmation hearings.

In what may be a sign of things to come with the Obama Administration, the next Secretary of State Hillary Clinton failed to even mention the Anglo-American Special Relationship in her confirmation hearing statement. Considering the U.S.-UK partnership is Washington’s most important alliance by a country mile, and that over 10,000 British troops are fighting alongside their American partners in Iraq and Afghanistan, it was a stunning omission.

Mrs. Clinton only mentioned the U.K. once, in the broader context of transatlantic relations, and only after France and Germany. Both Mexico and Canada merited greater attention than Britain. Even more strikingly President-elect Obama himself has never mentioned Britain in a major policy speech.

Dr. Gardiner, a Brit, is the director of the "Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom" at the neocon Heritage Foundation in the US - a title which will make any Brit who isn't a hardline Tory true-believer snort coffee through their nose and one which shows Gardiner is predisposed to be dislocated from reality.

Speaking for myself, I could care less if Clinton forgot to mention that relationship or indeed if it withered on the vine. Over the decades since 1945 it has been decidely a one-way street and has caused far more heartache and pain than it is worth. Sure, we're greatful that the US bailed us out (belatedly) in WW2 but that doesn't mean the UK should be America's lapdog or largest aircraft carrier forever.

Blair got a Presidential Medal of Freedom, Clair Short described it as "For services rendered". Denis Healey said "It will strengthen the feeling people have about him being Bush's poodle." That pretty much sums up the "special relationship". We Brits need less of this, even if Obama is in charge:

"Good Boy! Here's your new collar and there'll be a doggy-chew later"