One thing that I have always found a total minter (embarrassing) is the so called special relationship between the United Kingdom and the United States of America. British MPs shout it from the roof tops at every opportunity, but the simple reality is it is all bullshit and a British construct that just does not exist other than in the warped minds of those who still think the UK is a power, we are not even a minor player on the world stage, we just believe our own bullshit.
President Barak Obama this week noted that his most important ally was Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, during his presidency, it even took President Elect Donald Trump a wee while to make a call to Prime Minster Theresa May, she was 10th on the list behind Egypt Ireland Mexico Israel Turkey India Japan & Australia amongst others. Even Nigel Farage got a meeting and Donalds first official meeting will be with the Japan Prime Minister, special relationship I don’t think so.
Having spent a little time in America I can honestly say that I never ever heard an American or an American politician mention the so called special relationship. We are also told that Americans love the Royals and envy us the Windsor gravy train, the simple fact is that most Americans could not care less and see the Windsors as a curiosity that they might also find at Disney World in Florida.
The United Kingdom just does not register for most Americans, it’s as simple as that, we are at best an annoyance and a reminder of what they were able to escape from and reject. If America has a special relationship with anyone it is Israel, it is Saudi Arabia and it is Germany and China, what it isn’t is the United Kingdom. We are very much the poodle.
So when the yoon politicians and the yoon media talk about a special relationship with the United States of America, of special trade deals, they are talking shit. We are and always will be America’s poodle as long as the Tories and the red and yellow Tories remain in power in this country.
grumpyscottishman.wordpress.com 
This article should win first prize for best title of 2016. I do like the cut of your jib grumpy Scottish man as I sit here quite pished at obscene o’clock. That’s after a mid week celebration that ended too early in my opinion. Your site is a recent discovery for me and I’m enjoying reading it, and the comments so keep it up, please.
So at the risk of writing something I’ll regret in the cold light of tomorrow I’ll finish with this. The yoon press, the Times in particular made a lot of Nicola’s stand at FMQs against possible future Trump shit. Watching FMQs last week she went up even further in my estimation, It was principled politics and you just don’t see that very often anymore. It was so great it temporarily removed the disgust I feel for Ruth, Wullie and the other one, it made me proud of oor SNP. No one else in the uk at a similar level would have had the guts to stand up like that.
We have in fact very little if any actual influence on Trump, so if she can put his gas at a peep, at least in oor wee corner, by exposing his racist mysoginist crap then that will set an example we can all be proud of. Especially for the young folk because it looks like they’re a bit short of descent role models at the minute. Reality and necessity and the cold light of day may of course force her to modify her position but for a brief moment it was Scotland that won 3-0.
So flubble and good night I’m away to my bed. Erm… I think it’s first left after the toilet. Oh god I hope I don’t wake up in the bath again.
Dave
Thanks for the nice comments and hopefully you don’t have a hang over this morning, I have an early start but a day off due to a new kitchen process starting in the house which I hope does in fact actually start as I am surrounded by kitchen ware everywhere in every room which is pissing me off and it hasn’t even started yet.
Anyway I must admit, and blogged, I was surprised that Nicola stated her personal opinion on Donald Trumps election last week, as did many of the yoons, given that politicians don’t usually do that at all but I didnt have much issue with what she had to say, although having lived in the USA and understanding a little of their system the President actually can’t do that much without congress and the senate approving. The yoons of course treated this as an SNP bad story even though Tim Farron, many yoon Tories and many in yoon Labour went much further but an SNP bad story is as certain as breathing and my shitty moods these days so to be expected on a daily basis. I pretty much don’t care what they have to say anymore, if I ever really did, but I do like to try and take them down in my own ignorant un pc way if I can.
A new game that I discovered in 2014, and enjoy in my old age of 47, is to wind up yoons in polite ways, pisses them right off, esp if you quote Wings Over Scotland, nice wee parlour game. You’re correct though, we have little or no influence on Donald Trump or anyone else for that matter, I don’t think anyone really cares all that much what the UK says or does anymore, they just think that many in the UK are mental but sadly that taints Scotland but not much we can do unless others start to vote YES and we get the hell out as soon as possible.
Thanks for commenting on my wee blog.
Bruce
It was an epic hangover thanks and I’m glad reading my blurb that it was ok. Alchoholic remorse is a terrible thing. I have a golden rule which is, never put anything out there when under the influence. Unfortunately I sometimes get too pished to obey my own rules. I’ve got another couple of places to visit yet to survey possible damage and being shot down in flames scenarios.
Last kitchen I fitted was bought from MFI and there were lots of bits missing. Come that christmas I sent the sales guy a card with bits cut out of it with a message telling him Merry Christmas and please do not hesitate to contact me should he have any problems with the card. I heard later that he’d shown it to everyone in the place.
Good luck, fitting a kitchen is a tense situation.
Dave
I have a joiner doing the kitchen, its just a total building site and we are living on ready meals and junk food. I just want it finished as the painters need to come in after that and the floor people, be so glad when it’s all done. That’s brilliant with the card, classy.
Thanks for commenting.
Bruce
LOL… Hilarious post. But bang on too!!!
After World War One (in which the USA was termed an Associate Power rather than a full Allied Power), the USA wanted to limit British naval power which it saw as a threat. This would lead to the 1921 Treaty of Washington.
Prior to the signing of the Treaty, the British ambassador was warned that if Britain did not sign, they would face a war that would make the trenches of Flanders seem insignificant.
The Americans were prepared to remain out of the European War in 1939-45 and let Britain and France be occupied by Nazi Germany. They only entered the War after Hitler declared War on them (the US being the only nation Hitler actually ever declared War on). Also during WW2 the lend-lease scheme helped to make Britain a bankrupt pensioner of America. After 1945 the UK was given Marsall Aid money on condition that India was given independence and the Empire dismantled (thus depriving Britain of personnel and supplies in a possible future US – UK war). I forgot to mention above that plans were well advanced in the early thirties in the US about invading Canada to bring about a war with Britain which would result in an American victory and an end to the British Empire. Hitler ended up getting in the way.
Not too long ago, President Obama referred to France as the USA’s most valuable European ally. I think that there was some sort of commemoration of the Siege of Yorktown taking place at the time.
The “Special Relationship” exists in Britnat minds only.
Lanark
You are so right, people forget what America got from the war as a Government, they actually broke even I was once told because everything to the allies was loans. They also got about 10% of the British Empire(not a bad thing) in getting access to islands etc. I remember older people talking about how the Americans entered the 2nd World War reluctantly and it had nothing to do with protecting Europe or helping Britain, someone said they also wanted access to the UK’s nuclear research at the time which for all sense and purposes had designed the bomb and would use it if push came to shove. America does nothing that is not in American interests and people also forget that the reason they are the only super power is that they are also the only truly self sufficient country in the world if need be, they can produce all their own energy and food. I remember watching a programme on discovery about the untapped oil in the USA that the Government control the land, it is massive and as large as the Gulf States but they will not allow anyone to use it as it is their insurance policy.
Thanks for commenting.
Bruce
You are absolutely right. In all the decades I lived in America I never ever heard the “Special Relationship” mentioned – not even once – not even when Blair came over to fawn at Bush’s feet. He was mockingly called Bush’s little Bus Boy.
The Scottish Government knows only too well what Trump is like. He will promise anything to make a deal, but then reneges on his promises. When held to account he gets nasty and lashes out. World leaders would be well advised to meet with Trump when he calls, pin a smile on their faces and say some meaningless pleasantries at the press conference and then stay as far away from him as they can.
bsjalba
That was my take on America when I was there also, for a lot of Americans the rest of the world is just a curiosity, they are not all that much interested. Trump I don’t know enough about to comment and I must admit I have found some of the comments from UK politicians to be a bit rich. People like Tim Farron, Liz Kendle, Jeremy Corbyn, and to an extent Nicola Sturgeon have went a bit over the top, but as I said I have very little knowledge of him and it was for Americans to decide and they have. If he goes down the road of an isolationist policy then that might not be the disaster that people say it will be if we actually start making stuff again in the EU and start becoming more supportive of each other.
Off topic but what did you make of Angela Merkels comments on free movement. I actually noted when I blogged a while back that I wouldn’t be surprised if a new treaty comes along before Brexit in relation to free movement and we then have another vote and end up staying in. I saw on Euronews that, and I think we might have spoken about it, free movement might change to proving you have a job or a place in education before you can move. That will drastically change the goal posts, I might actually look into it a bit more if I have the time and do a wee blog.
Thanks for commenting.
Bruce
I would not put much credence in their interpretation of a remark taken out of that was part of a much longer speech for which I have not seen the full transcript. Looks to me that the British press are grasping at straws to hoodwink the unwary into believing thiat Brexit will not be that bad.
I have seen some talk of some central repositary for collating benefit/pension rights etc for people who move around EU countries during their working lives partly to ensure that they retain benefits/rights earned, but also partly to prevent exploitation of the differences in systems, but that is as far as it goes.
As for a new treaty keeping the UK in, that makes me laugh. Far from it. I give you a quote from Terry Entoure’s blog:
“It could even be said that the EU is relaxed about the prospect of the UK’s departure. Why? Because the UK blocked pretty much all EU reform since Westminster passed the 2011 European Union Act.” I don’t know how much you keep up with EU sites but it is clear that the EU27 are getting on with business (including a post Brexit budget) and making progress in a way they never could pre-Brexit-referendum. They have made it abundantly clear that the are not going to have UK MEPS (especially UKIP ones) at the next election (2019) so that March deadline is a hard one
If you find any hard facts on this new treaty I would be interested.
bsjalba
Thanks for the quote, it is interesting but I still would not be surprised if things change to be honest. I will have a look around when I have the time and see if I can find anything out. You are more up on the written EU info to be honest as I tend to just stick on Euronews in the morning as it’s actually quiet good and I get news that is not censored by the BBC or Sky etc. Even STV is shocker now.
Thanks for commenting as always.
Bruce