Jul 22 2010
The Real Story Behind the US-UK “Special Relationship”
British Prime Minister David Cameron met with President Obama this week in a high-profile visit to the US. Among the issues discussed were the war in Afghanistan where the UK has about 9,000 troops. Both Obama and Cameron are facing constituencies that are increasingly skeptical of the war. In fact, as news reporters fill pages about the so-called “special relationship” between the US and the UK, comparisons are being made with the relationship between then President George W Bush and then Prime Minister Tony Blair who claimed a close relationship over the Iraq war. Blair infamously assured Bush, “You know, George, whatever you decide to do [about Iraq], I’m with you.” In fact the bond between the two nations has generally been centered on military cooperation. As the Kabul conference in Afghanistan wrapped up earlier this week, both the major Western powers will now have to decide whether to honor President Karzai’s goal of Afghan forces taking full charge of security by 2014.
GUEST: Robert Naiman, Policy Director at Just Foreign Policy
Find out more at www.justforeignpolicy.org and read Robert Naiman’s writings at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-naiman
One Response to “The Real Story Behind the US-UK “Special Relationship””
It appears we are just going along with bad policy. There is no reason to be held hostage to Hamid Karzai’s corrupt government in Afghanistan. Let’s give Greg Mortenson more money for his schools, get our troops out of Afghanistan, and let Pakistan and India deal with their own mess. General Petraeus sounds a lot like Robert McNamara. Shades of Vietnam!!