"It's all over now"

 

Yes indeed, alas and alack, but then we all knew it really:

But it's all over now
You used to whisper little things to set me aglow
But it's all over now

I listened to you tell me little white lies
Never thought you meant to deceive
Whoever would have doubted those innocent eyes
And all the little kisses that you made me believe

According to The Mail a 'secret' memo has been issued by some outfit called the Congressional Research Service which is, apparently, a sort of in-house intelligence service whose task it is to keep Congress men and women fully up to date with the latest geo-political assessments.  This, er, distinguished body has come up with a very fine example of 'the bleedin' obvious'! 

The document – prepared by the Congressional Research Service, an in-house intelligence body that gives confidential analysis to legislators – states that while Britain and the US are likely to ‘remain key economic partners’, a ‘reassessment of the special relationship may be in order… because its geopolitical setting has been changing’. [My emphasis] 

The memo, edited by Derek E Mix, the CRS’s chief European affairs analyst, says that the development of organisations such as the G20 group of major economies has led to a decline in the ‘influence and centrality of the relationship’.

Well, if the Congressmen and women of the United States of America had been regular readers of this blog they would have picked that up for themselves long ago.  Still, at least they now have it in black and white, the so-called 'special relationship' is as dead, if not deader, than the two splendid politicians in the photo above.  Now all that remains is to break the news gently to the prats who run this country, many of whom believe that, like the Himalayan Yeti, it still exists.

'The cousins', according to The Mail's report have three worries about Britain, our economy, the chances of a hung parliament and the possibility of 'Brexit' from the EU.  They are quite right to be concerned but in fact all of that is, or should be, fairly peripheral to US national interests as it 'pivots' to East Asia where Britain has absolutely no influence whatsoever.  Not that we have much influence anywhere given that we are up to our ears in debt and our armed forces reduced to "Dad's Army" levels.  Also, it must be acknowledged, it is not as if the current POTUS actually wants us an ally.  His disdain is apparent.  We are not (yet!) an undemocratic, anti-American, militant, Muslim country of the sort with whom Barack Obama likes to devote his time and diplomatic wooing.

Even so, if a blast of cold realism blows the daydreams out of Whitehall and Westminster, then all I can say is 'jolly good show!'

 

Comments

[Whitewall]

Nice photo. Leadership. I guess if Obama returned the Churchill bust, showed himself as an enemy of Israel, willingly became Putin's Poodle, the Mullah's Mutt, The Brotherhood's Bitch and as of yesterday, Castro's Cur...things have changed. Like a meal of spoiled pork, this too shall pass.

Things will be different after Obama simply because he is gone and because the threat of Soviet Communism is gone. Other threats have arisen and cooperation will come as needed. In the interim, maybe it is good that no WW2 type scenarios are on the horizon.

Many ingredients are needed to make a "special relationship"....one of which is understanding and flexibility. An "Anglosphere" exists for a reason, and it will be needed even if no shooting wars are on.

[Hank]

David

Congressional Research Service is something the make the Congress different from European Parliaments.

A member of the House of Commons gets his/her information from their education, what the party and government tells them, and the press.

Any member of Congress can request information from the service. "Whats this Duff and Nonsense thing?" Some one will spend some time sorting through your blog, and write a report that it is the best(?) blog around. Usually the reports are public record.

Sure, some dumb question have been asked and higher ranking members probably get a quicker response, the Members have access to non-partisan information on any subject in which they have an interest. If the act as foolishly as and MP it is their own damn fault for not using the tools available.

On this subject they have the benefit of a good analyis that did not come from the Obama Administration.

[David Duff]

Verily, 'Whiters', thou art an 'artisan of alliteration'! Also, you are right to indicate a difference between political 'special relationships' and those that grow through privately held affections.

Thanks, Hank, that sounds like rather a sensible organisation and one which our mostly useless and ignorant MPs might find useful - if, that is , they could actually find it on a bright sunny day.

[Backofanenvelope]

The House of Commons provides the same sort of service for MPs. Lets give ourselves some credit - especially as we were prob doing it before 1796!

[David Duff]

So is that why we lost then?!

[Backofanenvelope]

Whats all this "we" then? I doubt redcoat cpls had any more influence then, than they do now!

[David Duff]

Well that's true enough!

[Oswald Thake]

Thought it was '76'the Rebellion in North America (still not put down, btw) began.

[jimmy glesga]

Whitewall. There will be other shooting walls. I do think that the USA needs to consider being part of the British Union when the Scots, Welsh and Irish leave. The hard working Yanks could replace the dependancy culture in Britain.