To all the Americans

[Rolling Thunder]

Fascist governments never care about each other

I beg to differ

 

[knightguy123]

Well other nationalities can reply if they so choose

After reading the "Audacity of Hope" by Barack Obama the one thing that surprised me was that Britain was only mentioned individually once. The reason for this surprise is that both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown both claim to have created/concreted a special relationship with American through a sharing of ideals etc. with the president. So I would have expected that when Obama mentioned in his book about allies Britain (considering that Mr. Blair entered into Iraq fairly close behind G.W.Bush) would appear more often, however it would appear the relationship is a lot less special to a Senator (as Obama was when he was writing this)

Therefore the question I pose to Americans is "How do you see Britain?" Are we a useful aid, merely a small fish looking for protection or an annoying hanger on. Another option I haven't mentioned

Those of other origins can give a view point of what it's like to be an "outsider" if there is even truly something to be outside of.

id be okay with britain if they and the french would stop insulting america

 

[messy]

SNIP

id be okay with britain if they and the french would stop insulting america

To be fair American's (American TV at least) poke fun at Britain for things like; bad teeth, the queen, being overly posh, sexual repressed.

And we make fun you you for be overweight, loving guns, being from the stereotype deep south etc.


So it's a two way street

 

[the_dancy_vagrant]

It's complicated. And as previously mentioned, up until the first world war there really wasn't any reason for the USA to be on good terms with Britain - there was the whole war of 1812 and then Britain's neutrality during the American civil war.

That being said, during the 2nd world war and up through the cold war, both countries had a lot to gain from being closely allied with each other - the UK had the clout and intelligence to assist the USA in making best use of our soldiers, money, and equipment to fight the axis powers and then the USSR.

Now things are much different, though. The relations are still warm, but what are we really offering each other anymore? The UK doesn't need help, it has no real enemies left. The problems that it has are largely internal or with the EU - neither of which the USA can help with. The USA, on the other hand, seems more and more to be up shit creek with no paddle these days. And we're not even making a fuss out of it because it's our shit and we refuse to admit that it smells.

So I guess the only way I can put it is like this: Picture yourself going back to your hometown after a long span of time. You see someone you used to be friends with back in elementary school. You wave and smile at each other but neither of you goes out of the way to take it beyond that. That's the way the US and the UK are these days.

EDIT: Sorry for a wall of text. I hate it when people do it and now I'm guilty as well.

 

[Sarukin]

I see the U.K. as the guy you have a few big fights with, but then after that we become best friends.

I don't see the U.K. as a "small fish looking for protection" or a "hanger on" as you said. After all, the U.K. used to rule most of the world, from North America to India to China and everywhere in between, they were the big guy back then. And they're still pretty powerful now.

While its nice to hear a America speak well for the UK, I have to disagree with you about the 'powerful' bit, Britain is now a lesser nation as far as I can tell, we did indeed used to own pretty much the world "Sun never sets on the British Empire and such" but that was a LONG time ago, we have faught pretty much the world and won but now we're pathetic, I mean come on! take our National pride, the Royal Navy, we havn't even got Crusiers any more! the last on in existance is the HMS Belfast and thats sitting in London serving as a Muesum ship, plus we have a dangerously low number of ships actually patrolling Britain itself.
Our Armed Forces are very poorly armed, the L85 was crap and even with the lucky soliders with L85A2 the gun is still crap compeared to their American counterparts.
While we have the Eurofighter Typhoon in the RAF, its hardly seeing any combat.
The only good thing left about our military apart from the Typhoon is our Special Forces, the SAS, but even then they aren't numerous enough to make a difference in our military power.

Britain as a Nation has pretty much had it I say, unless we get some really go leadership in the next few years we may as well just ASK America to take control of Britain...

huh, didn't know that. I know that leadership in the U.K. at the moment isn't the best, but I had no idea about its armed forces.
And I hope th U.S. doesn't get control of Britain, sure the military would be better but the average I.Q. of people there will probably shrink due to the stupidity of the influx of tourists.

Heh, your right there.
But i'm not joking about the military aspect at least 6 ships in total patrolling the British waters, the funny thing is that 3 of them are minesweepers, i'm not an expert on Naval ships but does a minesweeper have any military value or indeed defenceive portentical? I'll probably be correct if i'm worng but I doubt it does.

I say put Borris Johnson in charge, hes smarter than everyone in the Labour party put together AND he is a hell of a lot more funnier.

 

[vladtehimpaler]

they seem like decent people, unfortunately, their accent pisses me off.

 

[Leefank137]

I view Britain as our greatest Ally and country most similar to our own. Like our Cousin or step brother (Canada too)

 

[Sarukin]

SNIP

id be okay with britain if they and the french would stop insulting america

To be fair American's (American TV at least) poke fun at Britain for things like; bad teeth, the queen, being overly posh, sexual repressed.

And we make fun you you for be overweight, loving guns, being from the stereotype deep south etc.


So it's a two way street

Yeah, and everyone makes fun out of France. ^^

I'm sorta even on the Britain/American insults though, while I understand they don't like being called horrid things I can't sympersize because the American television broadcasters and later the American public pretty much started it...

Oh and note to all Americans out there, our teeth are not THAT bad, we just prefer healthy teeth over good looking teeth.

 

[Sarukin]

I view Britain as our greatest Ally and country most similar to our own. Like our Cousin or step brother (Canada too)

Well technically Britain is the Mother-Nation of America and Canda but your on the right lines

 

[Admiral Arby's]

I have always wanted to be a part of the UK rave scene. Some of the biggest and best raves are thrown over there.

Not to mention they have the best television over there(at least by American standards). I mean, half the shows in America are just knock-offs of British programming in the first place.

 

[Irridium]

Fascist governments never care about each other

I beg to differ

Ahhh but in the end didn't Mussolini betray Hitler and declare Italy neutral and let allies move through Italy.

Not exactly, Mossolini died (I think he was executed, but he may have commited suicide) during the war and the next leader betrayed Hitler.

Heh, your right there.
But i'm not joking about the military aspect at least 6 ships in total patrolling the British waters, the funny thing is that 3 of them are minesweepers, i'm not an expert on Naval ships but does a minesweeper have any military value or indeed defenceive portentical? I'll probably be correct if i'm worng but I doubt it does.

I say put Borris Johnson in charge, hes smarter than everyone in the Labour party put together AND he is a hell of a lot more funnier.

wow, minesweepers? The hell happended to what used to be the most feared navy in the world?

 

[Nickolai77]

It's complicated. And as previously mentioned, up until the first world war there really wasn't any reason for the USA to be on good terms with Britain - there was the whole war of 1812 and then Britain's neutrality during the American civil war.

That being said, during the 2nd world war and up through the cold war, both countries had a lot to gain from being closely allied with each other - the UK had the clout and intelligence to assist the USA in making best use of our soldiers, money, and equipment to fight the axis powers and then the USSR.

Now things are much different, though. The relations are still warm, but what are we really offering each other anymore? The UK doesn't need help, it has no real enemies left. The problems that it has are largely internal or with the EU - neither of which the USA can help with. The USA, on the other hand, seems more and more to be up shit creek with no paddle these days. And we're not even making a fuss out of it because it's our shit and we refuse to admit that it smells.

So I guess the only way I can put it is like this: Picture yourself going back to your hometown after a long span of time. You see someone you used to be friends with back in elementary school. You wave and smile at each other but neither of you goes out of the way to take it beyond that. That's the way the US and the UK are these days.

EDIT: Sorry for a wall of text. I hate it when people do it and now I'm guilty as well.

It was an interesting big wall of text XD
Good point, especially considering that Britain is quite weak militarily relative to the USA- so one does wonder if the USA really needs Britain as an ally. However, culturally, we are quite close as we share the same language and can enjoy each others TV and visit each others country with little problems. I know quite a few Brits gone to live in the USA and a few vice-versa.

Some time in the future, the Anglo-American alliance could prove damn useful- so its defiantly one worth keeping.

To be fair American's (American TV at least) poke fun at Britain for things like; bad teeth, the queen, being overly posh, sexual repressed.

And we make fun you you for be overweight, loving guns, being from the stereotype deep south etc.
So it's a two way street

Brits are starting to make fun of American "super clean" teeth- Richard Hammond got a lot of flack when Clarkson accused him of "having his teeth whitened". (I would rather have a girl with natural teeth than white artificial teeth- Brits like things "natural" which is why our food is organic, and generally better than American food XD)
The posh thing is very inaccurate, but a stereotype i think most Brits quite like, cant really comment on the Queen- Brits also poke a lot of fun out of the Royal Family- especially Prince Charles- he's obsessed with organic gardening apparently- hes going to make an "interesting" King. The sexual repression thing? accurateish- depends who you are- I dont think that the English are any different to the Americans in terms of sex.

The Brit's tease American's for indeed being overweight, gun loving, and also for not the sharpest tools in the toolbox.

 

[Bureacreative]

I think you british are pretty cool. You have cool accents and you send your royalty into the heart of battle like the knights of old(until the the media cocks it up by saying exactly where said royalty is). You guys help us out with our little squabbles with developing countries and you once owned half the world. Props.

 

[Wadders]

I see Britian as an astounding example of what America might've been...
Really though, Britian's cool with me. I hear the food is very lackluster, though...

Lies...

It's all lies. Our food is great. Sure it's not fancy continental stuff, but it's good honest, filling food. Taste is just an afterthought Yorkshire Pudding is truly the meal of the Gods.

OT: It's nice to see love for us, but we're no way as important as we like to think we were. Sure we're useful to America, but as someone else on the thread (a non American) said we're just the country with a good sense of humour and a funny accent to everybody else. That's it.

I still like being British though. We have one of the best trained militaries in the world (shame about the shite equipment) some great cities, beautiful countryside, fantastic people (idiots too, but they're all over the world) and we used to rule most of the world... Thats something to be proud of... isn't it?

 

[messy]

SNIP

SNIP.

SNIP.

Heh, your right there.
But i'm not joking about the military aspect at least 6 ships in total patrolling the British waters, the funny thing is that 3 of them are minesweepers, i'm not an expert on Naval ships but does a minesweeper have any military value or indeed defenceive portentical? I'll probably be correct if i'm worng but I doubt it does.

I say put Borris Johnson in charge, hes smarter than everyone in the Labour party put together AND he is a hell of a lot more funnier.

I would love Boris to be in charge, even though he appears to be an idiot who at least appreciates and understands this. All we need is him to go on "have I got news for you" a few more times, that must've helped with the London Mayor thing

 

[Sarukin]

Heh, your right there.
But i'm not joking about the military aspect at least 6 ships in total patrolling the British waters, the funny thing is that 3 of them are minesweepers, i'm not an expert on Naval ships but does a minesweeper have any military value or indeed defenceive portentical? I'll probably be correct if i'm worng but I doubt it does.

I say put Borris Johnson in charge, hes smarter than everyone in the Labour party put together AND he is a hell of a lot more funnier.

wow, minesweepers? The hell happended to what used to be the most feared navy in the world?

Exactly my point

 

[Guitarmasterx7]

It's sort of like america's elder. Not as strong but much more wise.

 

[la-le-lu-li-lo]

Yeah, America and Britain are BFFs.
Well, I like to simplify it down to that.