This isn't Hillsborough, but don't buy the Sun today.

[MICK PATCHAM]

Judging by the Obama arse-licking currently underway form messr's Cameron, Hague and Osborne, I think the 'special relationship' is functioning the same as ever

not really ....seeing as Obama wants to go in to Syria ....and Cameron has stated NO intervention.Apologies if that doesnt fit in with your political agenda ...carry on blithely soundbiting liberal dogma/rhetoric though ....its comical!

 

[MICK PATCHAM]

if it's snobbery to not want to go anywhere near a caravan holiday frequented by sun readers, guilty as charged. My feelings on those are better expressed by others on the worst holiday thread.

because guardian readers are just ...well....a better class ...of c**t !

 

[MICK PATCHAM]

Don't buy the Sun today? Don't buy the Sun ever. Worthless rag.

I DONT BUY IT BTW ITS JOURNALISM LIKE THE ARGUS AND GUARDIAN IS WOEFUL....JUST YOUR POST SOUNDS LIKE A SWP CHANT FROM ABOUT 1988

 

[Jim Van Winkle]

That's one way of looking at it....yes I know the Americans didn't join WW2 until 41....Roosevelt wanted too but the American people were in boom time and although there was a lot of moral support they were hesitant about joining another European war. But Pearl Harbour forced their hand and Germany declared war on America after that. Let's face it we would not have won the war without them,we needed supplies of food,fuel and military equipment. The 50 lend lease destroyers were a godsend to protect our convoys...yes it did cost us some naval bases but we could'nt afford to run them anyway. Before the war we had volunteer American fighter squadron. A lot of American merchant seamen lost their lives bringing supplies to the UK. A lot of young American aircrew died bombing Germany from UK bases,just take a walk around the American Cemetery just outside Cambridge 19-25 year olds...just kids really.(BTW,I'm not forgetting the other nations that helped,Aus,NZ, Canada,India and other Commonwealth people.)
As I was born before the war started ,I and you have a lot to be thankful for to the Americans...you would'nt be here if it wasn't for them.. that's why I cringe when I see all this racist anti American claptrap.
Yes they have their loudmouths,but so do we...there is good and bad amongst all people.

Great post. If I had a cap I would doff it to you. Well played sir.

 

[Danny-Boy]

Great post. If I had a cap I would doff it to you. Well played sir.

Another interesting facet on the so-called "Special Relationship" is that whilst Harold Wilson during his time as PM played it down, keping us out of Vietnam whilst Australia and NZ both joined in (nominally at least) his Defence Minister Denis "Soak The Rich" Healey was very pro-US. As soon as appointed Denis ordered vast amounts of kit from Lockheed (facing off Tory jibes by saying they had bought McDonnel Douglas Phantoms previously). That killed off a lot of our aircraft manufacturing capability.

Then Denis promised the US military an island base in the Indian Ocean for B52's to stop off and refuel en route to Vietnam. When Parliament protested about the loss of wildlife on Aldabra, he was "furious" accorsing to his biographer. The Yanks then got Diego Garcia and the local islanders were kicked off and made to live in Mauritius where many of them died. The survivors are now living in Crawley mostly on state benefits or low pay, and resented by some in Crawley. Denis kicks around a big mansion in Alfriston.

Wilson in an autobiogaphy noted that Healey's position towards the US changed radically after a visit there in around 1946/7. Before then he was much more left-wing. Afterwards he became a "hammer of the left" and when Calllaghan stood down the Labour left united to "Stop Denis" becoming Leader in 1980. Healey then backed Kinnock in the mid-late 1980's. When Blair launched "New Labour" Denis announced he was "Old Labour" AND "New Labour"..I believe though he did speak out against the Iraq invasion.