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Obama and Churchill

Monday, 16th February 2009

So Obama has said he doesn't feel the need for his presidency to be reinforced by the presence of a British-government-owned bust of Winston Churchill in the Oval Office. As my friend Tim Shipman reports, the bust, loaned to George W Bush after 9/11, is now in the care of the British Embassy in Washington. This is a good thing in as much as anything which damages the Cult of Churchill in the United States is to be welcomed.

One can desire this without in any way compromising one's respect and appreciation for Churchill's wartime heroics. But the Churchill Cult in the US - especially amongst conservatives - distorts American views of Britain and, for that matter, history: every foreign policy crisis is seen as a test one may pass (like Churchill) or fail (like Chamberlain). That these comparisons with Munich and 1940 are as misleading as they are fatuous (while also, of course, traducing Chamberlain). It is not always 1940 and not every test is Munich Revisited. Yet the neoconservative vision in the US, always seeking a new Churchill, treats everything as though it was and as if the only thing standing between the US and it achieving its goals is a lack of proper Churchillian spirit. If only that were the case.

This being so, Obama's confidence that he can be President without Winston looking over his shoulder is a) encouraging and b) a sign of maturity and good sense.

Filed under: Barack Obama (28 more articles) , Churchill (3 more articles) , Foreign Policy (66 more articles)

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Sam Armstrong

February 16th, 2009 3:58pm Report this comment

The bust will be back when the USA realises that it has made a serious error in electing the novice Obama and re-elects a leader who understands that Churchill equals liberty and Western self-belief.

You'd look great in a Keffiyah, Alex..

Francis

February 16th, 2009 4:14pm Report this comment

Perhaps Obama will replace it with a bust of Lenin.
Say what you like about Bush but he at least seemed to like Britain - at least a lot more than Blair ever did. And certainly more than Clinton who as far as I can tell supported the IRA.
Im not in favour of heroes but you can do worse than Churchill - he had his faults but he had his moments too.

Rhoda Klapp

February 16th, 2009 4:31pm Report this comment

Dear Spectator, it seems your Cricket correspondent has been straying into politics again, this time with an almost unintelligible complaint about...well, I'm not sure.

David Williamson

February 16th, 2009 5:06pm Report this comment

Obama should have a bust of Chamberlain - Hope and Change in our time!

Craig

February 16th, 2009 5:09pm Report this comment

This is a good article. The reverence for Churchill seems to be based on ignorance. As you say, for some people it is always Munich in 1938. the denigration of Chamberlain is particularly misplaced and shows a lxk of knowledge of the times and circumstances, not to mention a poor understanding of history. Chruchill's finest hour was 1940. Both before and after that, he wasn't up to much, and should have let someone else take over as PM. he did, however, come to see, just as Chamberlain did, that appeasement was necessary if the war was to be won. The object of his appeasement was, of course, the comunist Soviet Union. He wasn't wrong to do this, the war could not have been won any way, but his cheerleaders in the AEI and such places should try to appreciate this aspect of Churchill as well.

sol kesslar

February 16th, 2009 5:45pm Report this comment

some pretty broad sweeping conclusions were made and implied by a simple act of snubbing a historic relationship.Carrying the water for Obama from across the pond ?

Augustus

February 16th, 2009 5:57pm Report this comment

This could be good news, for the great sage would not be at all at ease looking down on "The Happy Warrior of Squandermania."

David

February 16th, 2009 6:15pm Report this comment

It appears, Alex, you've come up against the UK's own cult of Churchill. I'm still trying to work out this comment:
"You'd look great in a Keffiyah, Alex."

Regardless, good article, a recognition of the nuances of international affairs that, ironically, Churchill would fully appreciate. The neoconservative reduction of every foreign policy question to "win/lose" has done almost irreparable damage. Obama looks like having a far more sophisticated and mature approach.

Wilhelm

February 16th, 2009 8:05pm Report this comment

Alex

I think you have lost the plot, kid.

MaryIndiana

February 17th, 2009 1:43am Report this comment

Oh.Dear.God. What is wrong with
this man? (clears throat) I am
so sorry. As a 14th generation
American with English and Scots
blood,I am deeply offended and
ashamed by President Obama's
actions.
After 9/11 many of us in this
country drew strength and
comfort from Prime Minister
Churchill's words.
Again,I am SO sorry.

Simms

February 17th, 2009 2:35am Report this comment

He replaced it with a bust of Abraham Lincoln.

Clif Walters

March 12th, 2009 6:03pm Report this comment

Apologies to Britain and all those who hold western ideals like freedom and democracy dear. Reverend Wright is alive and well in Obama's heart, soul, mind and actions. Sir Winston is one of the few men for which both countries can directly attribute their survival. His dire predictions during the 1930s came true. Then again, his warnings about Communism came true (Mao executed 40 million, Pol Pot 30 million, Stalin ???million.

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