Christopher Hitchens on the Special Relationship Between the United Kingdom and the U.S. (1990)
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The Special Relationship is a phrase used to describe the exceptionally close political, diplomatic, cultural, economic, military and historical relations between the UK and the US, following its use in a 1946 speech by Winston Churchill. About the book: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0374114439/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0374114439&linkCode=as2&tag=mg03-20&linkId=aea8ecf6bdc55bebc695e88b26a65a6b Although both the United Kingdom and United States have close relationships with many other nations, the level of cooperation between them in economic activity, trade and commerce, military planning, execution of military operations, nuclear weapons technology, and intelligence sharing has been described as "unparalleled" among major powers.[1] The United Kingdom and United States have been close allies in numerous military and political conflicts including World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Cold War, the Gulf War, and the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan in the 21st century. A cornerstone of the special relationship is the collecting and sharing of intelligence. This originated during World War II with the sharing of code breaking knowledge and led to the 1943 BRUSA Agreement, signed at Bletchley Park. After World War II the common goal of monitoring and countering the threat of communism prompted the UK-USA Security Agreement of 1948. This agreement brought together the SIGINT organizations of the USA, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand and is still in place today. The head of the CIA station in London attends each weekly meeting of the British Joint Intelligence Committee.[29] One present-day example of such cooperation is the UKUSA Community, comprising the USA's National Security Agency, the United Kingdom's Government Communications Headquarters, Australia's Defence Signals Directorate and Canada's Communications Security Establishment collaborating on ECHELON, a global intelligence gathering system. Under classified bilateral accords, UKUSA members do not spy on each other.[30] Following the discovery of the 2006 transatlantic aircraft plot, the CIA began to assist the Security Service (MI5) by running its own agent networks in the British Pakistani community. Security sources estimate 40 per cent of CIA activity to prevent a terrorist attack in the United States involves operations inside the United Kingdom. One intelligence official commented on the threat against the United States from British Islamists: 'The fear is that something like this would not just kill people but cause a historic rift between the US and the UK.'[31] The United States is the largest source of foreign direct investment to the United Kingdom; likewise the United Kingdom is the largest single foreign direct investor in the United States.[32] British trade and capital have been important components of the American economy since its colonial inception. In trade and finance, the special relationship has been described as 'well-balanced', with London's 'light-touch' regulation in recent years attracting a massive outflow of capital from New York.[33] The key sectors for British exporters to the United States are aviation, aerospace, commercial property, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, and heavy machinery.[34] British ideas, classical and modern, have also exerted a profound influence on US economic policy, most notably the historian Adam Smith on free trade and the economist John Maynard Keynes on counter-cyclical spending, while the British government has adopted workfare reforms from the United States. American and British investors share entrepreneurial attitudes towards the housing market, and the fashion and music industries of each country are major influences on their counterparts.[35] Trade ties have been strengthened by globalisation, while both governments agree on the need for currency reform in China and educational reform at home to increase their competitiveness against India's developing service industries.[35] In 2007 the US ambassador suggested to British business leaders that the special relationship could be used 'to promote world trade and limit environmental damage as well as combating terrorism'. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_relationship
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The Plastic Paddy doesn't realise, just as none of them still don't realise, that the "British people" don't have any say over Northern Ireland. Only the ruling elite have a say over Northern Ireland, and they say what happens in Northern Ireland. So no matter who or what party is voted in, the result will be the same. The ruling elite is committed to Northern Ireland, and whilst the majority in Northern Ireland want to remain a part of the UK, then the British ruling elite will stay there, no matter who's in government. It's the same with both Iraq and Libya. The people didn't want either of the invasions, but the government overruled them and went in anyway. It's what is called a dictatorship by a bunch of plutocratic social bigots. I mean, why do they think the poor have stopped voting in the elections? So next time the Plastic Paddy reaches into his pocket to fund Irish baby killers, maybe he should take note that we have no bloody say about what the government does!
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uk and us allies forever
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Special Relationship? Do you mean the One way one that America supports? The one that says if America needs help, ie Korea- Vietnam- Iraq- Kuwait etc etc, Britain should rush to join them? But if Britain needs support? ie Suez- The Falklands etc? OOOOOO Sorry, Not in AMERICA'S Interests!
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I was on CNN yesterday, and though it wasn't the headline, Prince William was on the front page.
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I actually got lost in this conversation...i was hoping to just watch 30 minutes and then continue it tomorrow. But to my surprise, this was so good that I actually lost track of time. Thanks for the upload, I subscribed!
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there's some real weird people phoning in!
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1:05:55 Oh that was hilarious. Even Brian Lamb was having a hard time keeping a straight face.
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United Kingdom, great people great place!
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Britain is not a country, England is a country, Ireland is a Country, Northern Ireland is a country, Scotland is a country, Wales is a Country. The United Kingdom is a Political Entity. Britain is a Geographical Feature, an Island.
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The "Special Relationship"
America: Jump.
Britain: HOW HIGH?!?! -
Question time in Parliament reveals a collection of braying loudmouths which any respectable group of politicians should be ashamed of. Aren't there any codes of behaviour anywhere at all. What sort of example does Question Time set for any classroom ?
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No one knows for sure whose even running the show. You might think Obama is in charge but who is really the real boss? Who knows.
Great upload though, one of the best video's i've ever seen. Very interesting and almost certainly educational.
You should come away having learnt something. -
This Special Relationship was established largely thanks to Winston Churchill. The above description of the nature of the relationship between Great Britian (colonial empire) and the US is completely contrived, as it has been protrayed in public education and academic sources that the world's youth have been indoctrinated with for the past 50 years. Historically, the US's greatest allies were found in the sovereign, and republican (non-monarchial) emerging nations of Germany, and 19th century Russia (even under a Tsar). Although there were many families who had relatives in both in England and the 13 colonies, most of the colonists who were loyal to the BRitish crown, the British Loyalists were ousted to British North America, modern day Canada. There was no support from Loyalists for the Humanist revolution that was the American revolution, against not only British Empire, but Empire as a means of human society, or civilization.
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The ruling class of United Kingdom after losing its Empire wanted to have some taste of that old feeling. They think to have it from the asshole of Uncle Sam.
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AMERICA'S ONLY SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP IS WITH SAUDI ARABIA NOT GREAT BRITAIN.
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"The unified Germany is a potential enemy (defined as not a true democracy) and therefore it is important that UK plays a role in Europe"...What a load of rubbish!
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We have a special relationship alright. The US tells Britain what to do… and Britain does it
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The world is certainly a poorer place without the Hitch in it...
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Christopher is a great man rest in peace old war horse your dearly missed my Conrad
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im 22 and love these c span interviews with hitchens. its a shame we dont have as many of these great critical thinkers anymore. unlike America, Britain seems to have become very left wing since this interview, and not in a good way. we now have many left wing fascists who want to stop the media from saying anything they find too offensive and treating people against mass immigration or the muslim religion as racist, despite them being massive factors in changing our cultural identity in a big and often negative way. thats due to change though hopefully with the big rise in popularity of the ukip party as we are now sick of the left wing's fascism/propaganda
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