There is now no doubt about it, the ground is shifting. From the deep and fundamental changes in global geo-politics, some of which are too obvious to be missed, and others which are too subtle yet to be discerned, the inescapable fact is that the world is in a state of flux and all the things which have held true for so long are now crumbling around us. The whole subject is too immense and too complex for a pea-brain like me to come to any firm conclusions but I would like to dwell for a moment on just one aspect which impinges directly on Britain.
Ever since I read Chester Wilmot's book, The Struggle for Europe, when I was about 15 years old, I have never placed undue stress on 'the special relationship' with the USA, but neither have I ever dismissed it. Since WWII, there has existed a sort of strategic symbiosis between Washington and London which has waxed and wained depending on presidents and prime ministers and circumstances. However, it never, I believe, entirely disappeared and the well-informed tell us that at the level of officials, particularly military and intelligence officials, the links have remained fairly strong. I refer to 'the special relationship' in respect of Britain and the USA but really I believe Churchill's description of 'the English-speaking peoples' better encapsulates the 'gut feeling' that by and large, and setting aside minor squabbles like an old married couple, we are in essence in favour of roughly the same things - and that is what binds us.
For the first time in my life I wonder if that is still true any more? Amongst the factors nudging me to this doubt is, first and foremost, the ethnic demographic changes in America over the past 40 years which is now showing its full effects at the highest reaches of American polity and which have pushed out the old Anglo-Euro elite whose links to, and beliefs in, the Founding Fathers was strong, and thus, at second-hand, so too were their links to Britain from whence much of their inspiration arose. But today, Asians of Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese and Indian stock are rapidly rising through the political ranks, as are the Hispanics whose numbers have increased so unbelievably in recent years. Similarly, and thankfully, so have blacks at last taken their rightful place in their society. But none of these people have any reason to care a jot for the United Kingdom, and indeed, many of them have every reason actively to dislike what we stand for. Today, the perfect example of that stands at the very pinnacle of the United States - Barack Obama.
It seems to me that eveything he has done in foreign affairs since he achieved the presidency has been aimed at attempts to make friends with enemies and to discard old friends. It is a piffling example (but I am a firm believer in the old adage that it is the small things that men do which tells you so much about them) that the on his very first day in the office he had the bust of Winston Churchill, a man who was, after all, half American, removed and sent back to the British embassy from whence it had come as a gift to a succession of presidents from this country. However, Obama is, I think, not a cause but an effect of the change in American values brought about by several factors, ethnic demographics being but one. Thus, even if my dearest wish is fulfilled and this dangerous man is evicted from the White House in 2012, I still believe that the loose, taken-for-granted alliance of the English-speaking peoples is definitely under threat, if not entirely ended.
Some time ago I half-joked that perhaps this country should take another look at Russia or China as allies! As Palmerston made clear, "Nations have no permanent friends or allies, they only have permanent interests." I did not read the full reports of William Hague's recent speech in which he appeared to be promising to take a long, hard look at British foreign policy, but the fact that he appears ready to undertake some rigorous analysis is good news - if he draws the right conclusions. Certainly there are three gigantic factors which he must take into consideration. First, we have an American president who is, and I use the word carefully, hostile to this country. By that I do not mean that he intends to attack us militarily or anything like that, but his whole demeanour during the gulf oil spill and his constant spitting out of the name 'British Petroleum' tells you all you need to know about his view of all and anything that is British. Second, this is a president whose entire political and social values are the antithesis of ours. He, and his cohorts are revolutionary Marxists. Thirdly, the great United States of America is a weakening power. It is still immensely strong, and it is possible that it may yet regain some of its strength, but for the moment it is weakening, and if I am right and it suffers a second dip recession, it will become even weaker.
Exactly the same enfeebling condition aflicts us and so we also must adjust to our new circumstances. That is why I hope that the new government will combine the defence review and the debates on our new foreign policy together to form a coherent policy for the future. Quite what form that should take I do not know but I may offer some ideas as and when I can. You have been warned!
You can read a very much better informed observer on this subject - here:
My copy of 'Struggle' is literally falling to pieces now, I really should replace it. Here's a little piece from my old Blog referencing Wilmot and 'Struggle' you might like, Mr.Duff. Such an excellent tome, written by a journalist that the Bowen's of this modern world aren't fit to kiss the boots of.
http://dangerouslysubversivedad.blogspot.com/2006/07/tale-of-two-helicopters.html
Posted by: DSD | Friday, 09 July 2010 at 07:45
Thanks for the link, 'DSD', a very good post. His book shattered several of my childish delusions and his loss in that Comet crash was enormous. Many of today's narrative historians owe Wilmot a debt of gratitude.
Incidentally, I've just noticed that I mis-spelled his name - another 100 lines!
Posted by: David Duff | Friday, 09 July 2010 at 10:55
This is an outstanding post, David. My mother having grown up in Scotland, and my father in London during the war, it has been anguishing for me to watch the "special relationship" deliberately dismantled; in particular, the removal of Churchill's bust from the White House at the beginning of Obama's imperium left me shocked and aghast.
With luck we can begin to set things right beginning in January 2013.
Posted by: Malcolm Pollack | Friday, 09 July 2010 at 20:27
I hope so, Malcolm, very much indeed because personal sentiment apart, I really do think the English-speaking world still has much to offer the future.
Thing is, though, can we trust those dimwits who 'run' the GOP to get it right? or even Right?
Posted by: David Duff | Saturday, 10 July 2010 at 17:13
I see no reason to think we can, sad to say.
Posted by: Malcolm Pollack | Sunday, 11 July 2010 at 03:22