Will Obama keep Britain at bay?

The Guardian by Simon Tisdall | Jan. 21, 2009 (Opinion)

While the US president will take Gordon Brown's calls, the two countries' relationship might not be quite as special

While Obama undoubtedly shares many of Britain's policy aspirations, there are signs he may be less eager to afford Brown a special hearing than was Bush to Blair. For a start, Bush had few real friends in Europe. Inclusive, multilateralist Obama – "no country left behind" – is everybody's best new pal. Europe's leaders are currently queuing to catch reflected glory. Full Story »

Posted by Peter Barnett

See All Reviews »

View

3.1

by James Canning - Jan. 22, 2009

Tisdall suggests Obama might have various reasons not to keep the British connection with America in the most robust condition possible. He suggests that Bush kept the British close, but in fact the Iraq War catastrophe was the direct result of the neocons keeping their British counterparts away from the decision-making. Harold Wilson, of course, had the good sense to rebuff Lyndon Johnson's urgings that the UK join in the US fiasco in Vietnam.

The UK is far and away the most important ally of the US, and any Obama administration dealings with the Middle East should be undertaken in the context of close advice from the British. If Bush had listened to the warnings of numerous British advisers available to him, the Iraq War disaster need not have happened.