What special relationship? It hasn't existed and never will. America is not Britain's friend and never have been, and i hope they never will be. The Commonwealth are our true allies
Barrack obama is threatening this relationship.....Can't say I like him...BUT NOT BECAUSE HE IS BLACK...Gods sake....Anyway I just wish he would get over his grudges...
English, Scottish, Welsh, Irish, Australians, Canadians, Americans are all brothers in this world may we respect and help each other till the last second of humanity.
@zerker12568901 You are kidding. Agreed, England and Ireland love the US. The US is close to the Phillipines (outside this group). Wales is friends to Australia. Australia is close to New Zealand and South Africa (Both outside this group). Scotland has the Auld Alliance (also outside).
@swanningaround Wales is friends with Australia? This is news to me, as far as I know, there is no formal relationship whatsoever between Australia (a sovereign nation) and Wales (a devolved, subnational entity). The Auld Alliance has not existed since 1601. Australia is indeed close to New Zealand, but is no closer to South Africa than the UK is.
What is special is the UKUSA/Echelon agreement between the UK, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand i.e. the Anglosphere
@disamjisa The Welsh people have always loved Australia. The Australian leader is Welsh also. South Africa has a close relationship to New Zealand and Australia. There is little actual relationship between England and Canada etc. as England is close to the EU. Scotland and France have always been close. Scotland also has links with Canada and New Zealand which it can always call on. England has a bad relationship with Australia and New Zealand.
@swanningaround "The Welsh people have always loved Australia"; not more so than any other citizens of the United Kingdom.
"The Australian leader is Welsh". No, the Prime Minister is an Australian citizen, albeit born in Wales.
" South Africa has a close relationship to New Zealand and Australia." It doesn't have a relationship that is remarkable in any way with Aus and NZ. They are both Commonwealth countries, with many SA expats living in Australia and NZ, as the case with the UK
@swanningaround With re to the Canada-England relationship, there is no relationship. England is part of the United Kingdom, which along with the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand all enjoy very strong and deeply embedded cultural links and security frameworks (Echelon/UKUSA).
"Scotland and France have always been close" Perhaps you could point out an example of this close relationship, an example that post-dates the accession of James I and the end of the Auld Alliance
@swanningaround "Scotland also has links with Canada and New Zealand which it can always call on." Perhaps you could point to any evidence of any official relationship whatsoever. Canada, New Zealand are fully sovereign nation-states, Scotland is a sub-national entity.
"England has a bad relationship with Australia and New Zealand." This really takes the cake, but I won't proceed further, I'm guessing you're just a very poorly informed individual who is not a citizen of a Commonwealth nation.
@disamjisa Well fine. Scotland does have a close relationship with Canada and New Zealand due to the many Scots that immigrated there, plus the fact that Scots are liked and trusted there. England has always treated Canadians and New Zealanders as being, well, foreign. There is virtually now common heritage between these countries.
Scotland is a country in its own right, just as Canada is. The big difference is that Scotland is a Superpower being nuclear armed and on th Security council.
@swanningaround I'm sorry if you're offended. I'm being honest. If you're saying that Scotland is a member of the UN Security Council and has nuclear weapons, you're either trolling, or extremely misinformed.
@swanningaround (1) That's a dead link. (2) Scotland has nuclear weapons in the same way that South Dakota has nuclear weapons i.e. it hosts bases (3) Scotland is not on the Security Council, it is is not even a nation-state
You clearly must be a troll if you can't even be bothered to look up a list of current Security Council members. I guess wanting to believe something makes it true. If you can't be bothered to even do basic research, I can't be bothered arguing with you.
@disamjisa As I said, you keep on calling me names. Everyone else here knows what I am saying is true. Quite frankly, I am sick of idiots like you playing about with this British/UK/Scotland/England rubbish. I don't care about your English rubbish, quite frankly. You think you are cool. You are not. It is types like you who cause problems in the world.
And its people like you who cause problems in the world; idiots who are extremely narrowly read and traveled yet aren't circumspect about having an opinion on every topic, no matter how little they know about it.
As you can see from the comments, it becomes more confrontational proportional to your stupidity and stubborness, unwillingness to even do a google search on the subject you are talking about and see you are absolutely wrong.
@disamjisa Instead of insulting others, you might like to add something to the conversation. I have backed up my statements with informed logic and examples. All you have done is say "that's not true" and "you're an idiot" type statements. Well, you actually have no added value. I do.
Bottom line. The USA would be better of weaning itself from Mother England. Its about time the USA grew up.
Lots of credit for George Bush the first (23m40s): "impressive peacekeeper" and "much under-estimated". Apparently the US should have spent more time listening to Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice (26m35s).
I' an admirer of hers, but perhaps shes a little naïve or idealistic.
america britan and canada are the closests of allies even tho the citizen joke at the others they have always been right beside each other in every war n probbly allways will be
Special relationship? Sure the England and the US have one. Why? As no one else cares about whether the UK or the US likes them or not. Take Russia for example. Russia is primarily concerned with its relations with the Ukraine, Germany, China and Japan. China is interested in Japan, India, Russia and the rest of Asia including Australia. The USA is only interested in England, but under Obama is trying to go international - mainly India.
I'm not convinced there was ever a special relationship. Seems like something British people tell themselves to convince themselves they are part of the "inner circle" if power.
I'm not American but I find it hard to believe we are ranked above Canada or Japan in international relationship talks
Canada?! u must be having a laugh, they hold little political clout. but wait untill they tap the oil reserves then they'll be important as a motherfucker
the relationship, but the ordinary uk working man isnt so easily
fooled! the usa has taken us for a ride, only months ago we were
threatened by argentina over the falklinds again and ur man obama
denide any relationship! now bp is british again! its been taken over a long time ago, us companys included! so do urselves a favour get rid and start treating us equal as we aint subservient to no country!
@Highwaycrazy it was unihabited when they got there and had been abandoned as a colony 4 times previously by other european empires. The islands are too far away to any country to have any historical claims made of it and due to a lack of any native inhabitants why not leave the poor bastards alone eh? theyve been there for more than 2 centuries and they have a right to be who they want to be which is a falkland islander not argentinian
Not all of Britain likes us. I am American, and when I went over to Britain for a visit, there was a lot anomymosity toward Americans, Drop me a line, and I'll explain more.
@pluto4847 Its a shame you have encountered this, but I imagine amongst the hospitable and friendly American majority there are quite a few who simply do not like British people. I met a guy in Utah who really didn't like the fact that I was British.. I was backed up by plenty of normal people though. There is always someone who will let a place down.
If it means anything, the English were a lot more friendlier to me than the Scottish. I am an American, and my wife is English. My only daughter died in Scotland, and I became heart broken for eternity. A father should not have to outlive the child. There were some English who were not nice to me, but the Scots were nasty towards me. They nearly killed me because they hated Americans. I was struck by a car and severelky injured in Britain. It ntook years to recover.
I lost a lot of things in Great Britain, especially Scotland. NOw I'm back in America. Slowly I am getting over the tragedy I suffered. I have ongoing health problems so right now my time is short so I am just looking forward and not looking back.
That's all we can do. That's all any of us can do.
@GenocideAirsoft i am a brit and i want to thank the american people for who they are and not who they are portrayed as,. there will always be an unconditional bond of friendship between our nation and our former colonies, things wont change no matter what the media says.we may fight and exchange insults but i am the same with my brother, its a case of brothers fighting. i wish all the americans who think like you all the best, to the others dont alienate yourselves
ur just another reason as too why the relationship is tearing apart...it takes strong people to tear it apart, but even stronger people to heal it and keep it together.
Baroness Shirley Williams is an amazing person, public servant, professor (Harvard)... She has been a major UK/European figure for decades; and is always current... honest and clear thinking. Thanks so much for posting!
This comment has received too many negative votesshow
Still a special relationship? I hope not! I hope the US does not have a special relationship with any political entity now or anytime in the future. The US should never have entered into WWI or the European theater of WWII. Isolationism is the answer to Americans' needs in the 21st century.
I didn't mean to imply it was wrong to have fought the Germans in the wars. I meant to suggest that the United States should never have entered into those wars. Wars should only be fought for the sole purpose of a nation's defense. The Germans were not a significant enough threat to the Americans to warrant entering into a war with them. The allies didn't need the Americans anyways. The Russians would have eventually been able to get the job done.
What special relationship? It hasn't existed and never will. America is not Britain's friend and never have been, and i hope they never will be. The Commonwealth are our true allies
TalonMercenary 3 weeks ago
its seems this 'special relationship ' is 1 sided towards the yanks
747heven 1 year ago
we win together ,we lose togerther,we die ,we live,usa uk.
kiljet1 1 year ago
Barrack obama is threatening this relationship.....Can't say I like him...BUT NOT BECAUSE HE IS BLACK...Gods sake....Anyway I just wish he would get over his grudges...
spudnick3490 1 year ago
@spudnick3490 As an American i agree.
TheIceman567 1 year ago
Google: the deliberate dumbing down of america, Iserbyte
draphaelc 1 year ago
English, Scottish, Welsh, Irish, Australians, Canadians, Americans are all brothers in this world may we respect and help each other till the last second of humanity.
zerker12568901 1 year ago
@zerker12568901 You are kidding. Agreed, England and Ireland love the US. The US is close to the Phillipines (outside this group). Wales is friends to Australia. Australia is close to New Zealand and South Africa (Both outside this group). Scotland has the Auld Alliance (also outside).
swanningaround 1 year ago
@swanningaround Wales is friends with Australia? This is news to me, as far as I know, there is no formal relationship whatsoever between Australia (a sovereign nation) and Wales (a devolved, subnational entity). The Auld Alliance has not existed since 1601. Australia is indeed close to New Zealand, but is no closer to South Africa than the UK is.
What is special is the UKUSA/Echelon agreement between the UK, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand i.e. the Anglosphere
disamjisa 1 year ago
@disamjisa The Welsh people have always loved Australia. The Australian leader is Welsh also. South Africa has a close relationship to New Zealand and Australia. There is little actual relationship between England and Canada etc. as England is close to the EU. Scotland and France have always been close. Scotland also has links with Canada and New Zealand which it can always call on. England has a bad relationship with Australia and New Zealand.
swanningaround 1 year ago
@swanningaround "The Welsh people have always loved Australia"; not more so than any other citizens of the United Kingdom.
"The Australian leader is Welsh". No, the Prime Minister is an Australian citizen, albeit born in Wales.
" South Africa has a close relationship to New Zealand and Australia." It doesn't have a relationship that is remarkable in any way with Aus and NZ. They are both Commonwealth countries, with many SA expats living in Australia and NZ, as the case with the UK
tbc
disamjisa 1 year ago
@swanningaround With re to the Canada-England relationship, there is no relationship. England is part of the United Kingdom, which along with the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand all enjoy very strong and deeply embedded cultural links and security frameworks (Echelon/UKUSA).
"Scotland and France have always been close" Perhaps you could point out an example of this close relationship, an example that post-dates the accession of James I and the end of the Auld Alliance
disamjisa 1 year ago
@swanningaround "Scotland also has links with Canada and New Zealand which it can always call on." Perhaps you could point to any evidence of any official relationship whatsoever. Canada, New Zealand are fully sovereign nation-states, Scotland is a sub-national entity.
"England has a bad relationship with Australia and New Zealand." This really takes the cake, but I won't proceed further, I'm guessing you're just a very poorly informed individual who is not a citizen of a Commonwealth nation.
disamjisa 1 year ago
@disamjisa Well fine. Scotland does have a close relationship with Canada and New Zealand due to the many Scots that immigrated there, plus the fact that Scots are liked and trusted there. England has always treated Canadians and New Zealanders as being, well, foreign. There is virtually now common heritage between these countries.
Scotland is a country in its own right, just as Canada is. The big difference is that Scotland is a Superpower being nuclear armed and on th Security council.
swanningaround 1 year ago
@swanningaround I can't tell if you're a troll or just extremely misinformed and poorly traveled/read.
disamjisa 1 year ago
@disamjisa So now we are into insults, are we?
swanningaround 1 year ago
@swanningaround I'm sorry if you're offended. I'm being honest. If you're saying that Scotland is a member of the UN Security Council and has nuclear weapons, you're either trolling, or extremely misinformed.
disamjisa 1 year ago
@disamjisa As I said. Boring insults. I can deal with you... well... troll?
Scotland certainly has nuclear weapons.
It also on the Security council.
scotlandoffice.gov.uk/scotlandoffice/files/Scotland%20and%20Defence.pdf
swanningaround 1 year ago
@swanningaround (1) That's a dead link. (2) Scotland has nuclear weapons in the same way that South Dakota has nuclear weapons i.e. it hosts bases (3) Scotland is not on the Security Council, it is is not even a nation-state
You clearly must be a troll if you can't even be bothered to look up a list of current Security Council members. I guess wanting to believe something makes it true. If you can't be bothered to even do basic research, I can't be bothered arguing with you.
disamjisa 1 year ago
@disamjisa As I said, you keep on calling me names. Everyone else here knows what I am saying is true. Quite frankly, I am sick of idiots like you playing about with this British/UK/Scotland/England rubbish. I don't care about your English rubbish, quite frankly. You think you are cool. You are not. It is types like you who cause problems in the world.
swanningaround 1 year ago
@swanningaround I'm not English.
And its people like you who cause problems in the world; idiots who are extremely narrowly read and traveled yet aren't circumspect about having an opinion on every topic, no matter how little they know about it.
As you can see from the comments, it becomes more confrontational proportional to your stupidity and stubborness, unwillingness to even do a google search on the subject you are talking about and see you are absolutely wrong.
disamjisa 1 year ago
@disamjisa Instead of insulting others, you might like to add something to the conversation. I have backed up my statements with informed logic and examples. All you have done is say "that's not true" and "you're an idiot" type statements. Well, you actually have no added value. I do.
Bottom line. The USA would be better of weaning itself from Mother England. Its about time the USA grew up.
swanningaround 1 year ago
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Lots of credit for George Bush the first (23m40s): "impressive peacekeeper" and "much under-estimated". Apparently the US should have spent more time listening to Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice (26m35s).
I' an admirer of hers, but perhaps shes a little naïve or idealistic.
Bungay4 2 years ago
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Shirley Williams is a member of the International Advisory Board of the 'Council on Foreign Relations'
I've just looked her up, but she also refers to it on 16m and later.
Bungay4 2 years ago
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Bungay4 2 years ago
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Bungay4 2 years ago
america britan and canada are the closests of allies even tho the citizen joke at the others they have always been right beside each other in every war n probbly allways will be
NOxNAMExHERE 2 years ago
Special relationship? Sure the England and the US have one. Why? As no one else cares about whether the UK or the US likes them or not. Take Russia for example. Russia is primarily concerned with its relations with the Ukraine, Germany, China and Japan. China is interested in Japan, India, Russia and the rest of Asia including Australia. The USA is only interested in England, but under Obama is trying to go international - mainly India.
swanningaround 2 years ago
@swanningaround Obama puts south America way ahead of Britain look at the new claims of the Falklands it makes my blood boil.
zerker12568901 1 year ago
I'm not convinced there was ever a special relationship. Seems like something British people tell themselves to convince themselves they are part of the "inner circle" if power.
I'm not American but I find it hard to believe we are ranked above Canada or Japan in international relationship talks
FlamingTide 2 years ago
Canada?! u must be having a laugh, they hold little political clout. but wait untill they tap the oil reserves then they'll be important as a motherfucker
MrPhilsta 2 years ago
The UK is still the 5th biggest military power in the world.
mrjamest2000 2 years ago
im an american and i just wanted to say thank you to the United Kingdom and its efforts in everything. hope the relationship doesnt dwindle..
GenocideAirsoft 2 years ago 21
@GenocideAirsoft Sorry mate, u personaly seem to appreciate
the relationship, but the ordinary uk working man isnt so easily
fooled! the usa has taken us for a ride, only months ago we were
threatened by argentina over the falklinds again and ur man obama
denide any relationship! now bp is british again! its been taken over a long time ago, us companys included! so do urselves a favour get rid and start treating us equal as we aint subservient to no country!
olddonno1 1 year ago
@olddonno1 That's because you guys colonized the Falklands, just like you did in the north of Ireland.
Here in the US, we don't really have any special relationship with the UK, maybe some think otherwise......
Highwaycrazy 1 year ago
@Highwaycrazy it was unihabited when they got there and had been abandoned as a colony 4 times previously by other european empires. The islands are too far away to any country to have any historical claims made of it and due to a lack of any native inhabitants why not leave the poor bastards alone eh? theyve been there for more than 2 centuries and they have a right to be who they want to be which is a falkland islander not argentinian
rulebrittaniaPTBB 1 year ago
@olddonno1 Yeah That was Obama not the working people in America.
TheIceman567 1 year ago
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@olddonno1 But again you can't speak for al the people of the UK.
TheIceman567 1 year ago
@GenocideAirsoft
Not all of Britain likes us. I am American, and when I went over to Britain for a visit, there was a lot anomymosity toward Americans, Drop me a line, and I'll explain more.
pluto4847 1 year ago
@pluto4847 Its a shame you have encountered this, but I imagine amongst the hospitable and friendly American majority there are quite a few who simply do not like British people. I met a guy in Utah who really didn't like the fact that I was British.. I was backed up by plenty of normal people though. There is always someone who will let a place down.
EbsNhexz 1 year ago
@EbsNhexz i hear that. but they're the morons tho mate.
TheIceman567 1 year ago
@EbsNhexz did he start on you?
iloveamericans1 1 month ago
@pluto4847 what happened when you visited Britain,I,ve visited the US and I was,nt excatly welcomed.
iloveamericans1 1 month ago
@iloveamericans1
If it means anything, the English were a lot more friendlier to me than the Scottish. I am an American, and my wife is English. My only daughter died in Scotland, and I became heart broken for eternity. A father should not have to outlive the child. There were some English who were not nice to me, but the Scots were nasty towards me. They nearly killed me because they hated Americans. I was struck by a car and severelky injured in Britain. It ntook years to recover.
pluto4847 1 month ago
@pluto4847 where abouts in Scotland this this happen?
iloveamericans1 1 month ago
@pluto4847 the english are alot nicer people, i have lived in both
pikemancolley 1 month ago
@iloveamericans1
*Shakes Head* I can't regain what the Scots took from me. Whoever I was before my tragedy is dead. I had to completely re-invent myself.
Sometimes I wish they would have taken me, but instead I just suffered some broken bones.
I do miss England. I really do. Now I just try to get by one step at a time.
I wish you well, and take care.
pluto4847 1 month ago
@iloveamericans1
I lost a lot of things in Great Britain, especially Scotland. NOw I'm back in America. Slowly I am getting over the tragedy I suffered. I have ongoing health problems so right now my time is short so I am just looking forward and not looking back.
That's all we can do. That's all any of us can do.
pluto4847 1 month ago
@GenocideAirsoft i am a brit and i want to thank the american people for who they are and not who they are portrayed as,. there will always be an unconditional bond of friendship between our nation and our former colonies, things wont change no matter what the media says.we may fight and exchange insults but i am the same with my brother, its a case of brothers fighting. i wish all the americans who think like you all the best, to the others dont alienate yourselves
geordieracer222 1 year ago
@geordieracer222 I agree no greater friend to America then the United Kingdom.
TheIceman567 1 year ago
@GenocideAirsoft it wont, I mean the UK is our MOM!
MidnightGrunt 9 months ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
wondering if she would remove her false teeth and give me a gum job?
BritsSuck 2 years ago
ur just another reason as too why the relationship is tearing apart...it takes strong people to tear it apart, but even stronger people to heal it and keep it together.
blair91234 2 years ago
Baroness Shirley Williams is an amazing person, public servant, professor (Harvard)... She has been a major UK/European figure for decades; and is always current... honest and clear thinking. Thanks so much for posting!
kbfeff 3 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
Still a special relationship? I hope not! I hope the US does not have a special relationship with any political entity now or anytime in the future. The US should never have entered into WWI or the European theater of WWII. Isolationism is the answer to Americans' needs in the 21st century.
mcafeekc 3 years ago
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!! your not funny. the first and second world wars where NECESARY! or else we would be speaking german.
mrboxers123 3 years ago
I didn't mean to imply it was wrong to have fought the Germans in the wars. I meant to suggest that the United States should never have entered into those wars. Wars should only be fought for the sole purpose of a nation's defense. The Germans were not a significant enough threat to the Americans to warrant entering into a war with them. The allies didn't need the Americans anyways. The Russians would have eventually been able to get the job done.
mcafeekc 3 years ago
but at what cost, dipshit
MrPhilsta 2 years ago
first world war could have easily been averted, too much suspicion didn't help matters, was complex as hell
MrPhilsta 2 years ago
@mrphilsta.... or the Invasion of Poland... I am not sure whether that was suspicion
easy1355 2 years ago
the only of one the "Gang of 4" that I regret leaving the Labour Party. Indeed, a wise women
bripat22 3 years ago
Still a special relationship? Oh god no!
mcafeekc 3 years ago
Wise lady. Where's the rest of her talk?
toobiest 3 years ago 9
Sorry - that's indictment...
toobiest 3 years ago
Its very telling that there aren't any comments on this important video. A real enditement of the interests and values of the youtube community.
toobiest 3 years ago