Britain’s AWOL ally

Naomi Langford-Wood

McCavity's not there!?

At last, a clear indication that the 'special relationship' is evidenced in the actions of the protagonists.

A bit chilling after all the rhetoric and bunfights at Camp David. But reality is best.

Thanks Fraser.

Obnoxio The Clown

Really, Fraser, how dare you criticise the Obamassiah? Can't you see how Gordon is slavering at the idea of wrapping his lips round Obama's tumescence and doing that funny jaw thing?

:o)

Naomi Langford-Wood

The only thing for the UK to do is to make its own decision.

As it seems to be that govt gbroon is deciding that it will 'encourage' other EU allies to send their troops whilst not furnishing any more of ours, it would be best to stick to that and then make an informed decision, in our own time as and when the circumstances change.

Ensuring existing troops have all the air and equipment support needed is first priority and has been very tardily addressed, from what the troops say.

Andre

How do you know Obama and Broon are not in cahoots, plotting withdrawal together? Both want to get out of Afghanistan despite the advice of their military and anti-terrorism agencies. Brown made this clear this week. Obama is dragging out a decision knowing the longer he waits the more credible withdrawal seems. Neither have what it takes to fight a protracted war against Islamic terror. As left wingers neither has an adequate grasp of what the christian west once stood for and needs to again. In this they mirror the crumbling credibility of our current ideologues.

Fraser Nelson Fanboi

"The way Washington is treating Britain is deplorable"

What's new?

The EU's Common Foreign & Security Policy is a terrible idea right?

Vulture

The western world ( or at least the saner bits of it) are slowly waking up to the utter disaster that Obama, or the Blessed One, actually is. Nurtured in that cesspit of political corruption that is Chicago; advised by a Marxist milieu drawn from the terrorist Weathermen; spiritually counselled by ranting anti-American Preacher men; probably born outside the US anyway; scion of a dysfunctional family and raised to hate Britain because of its Kenyan colonialism, the only question about this man is whether he is just a dithering Bozo with a silver tongue, or something much more malevolent beginning with a capital 'M'. Let's hope the US survives long enough to boot him out in 2012.

Ellen

Fraser, it's you and the bulk of this magazine that went AWOL and why we're all reading American Thinker half the time.

Olaf

Maybe time for the politicians to stop promoting the 'special relationship' as a wonderful ethereal thing. And deal with the fact that the US cares not a jot for us more than anyone else.

Maybe we should make decisions that suit us for a change?

Frank S

A neat summary, Vulture.

porkbelly

Perhaps Obama doesn't care for poodles.

Stevie Walker

So O'Blairma is leaving McBroon to dangle in the wind. After the release of the not-so-at-deaths-door-after-all Megrahi can we be surprised?

egh

Oh, I thought it was clear he was anti-Brit even in his pre-presidential euro visits. And yes, I agree with Vulture - they do raise certain of them that way. I've heard Marxists telling some, "You should be angry about slavery. You should be very angry." I don't know how to react, except to say I come from where they stopped it (which infuriates everyone still further)!!

Then again, there was that photo you guys published a few weeks ago ... the one with Prince Charles and B&O.

Then again still, it's a bit strange B & O can't find common ground in their commie present. Perhaps it's just conveniently difficult for any elected official to respect our so-called representative...

David Lindsay

Quite so porkbelly. We are paying the price for our cross-party, and thus electorally irremovable, support for Bush.

Andre

Well said Vulture and I hope you're right - are you really the American eagle in disguise?

Tankus

If the position was reversed . Do you think that Gordon would put Obama's political needs before his own ?

Exactly.

The special relationship is only special when the US wants something .
Gordon is too needy, and so is easy to play/use.

Lee Jakeman

If it hastens the end of the special relationship (= British subservience to washington) then it is a good thing. The only special relationship I'm aware of is the one in which Washington says "jump" and London repsonds with "how high"?

Naomi Muse

Sad but true, Vulture.

We ought to make our own decisions anyway, methinks.

strapworld

It will, in Brown's mind, be a vote winner to bring the troops home before the general election.

It will, in Obama's mind, be a vote winner prior to the mid term elections, to bring the troops home.

Withdrawal could very well be on the cards.

Then we shall face armageddon! Brown re-elected? never!

strapworld

Mr Nelson. No blog, as yet, on immigration. Most other commentators have written about it, even in the Sunday papers. But not the promised article from your goodself.

Where is it?@

Verity

President Bush is a very fine man. Elected Governor of Texas for two terms, the first ever so-elected. So, if he is performing well for the voters, he is a fine man. He was a good President, too. Of course, putting him up against what's the in the Oval Office now and Jimmy Carter was a fine president.

Nicholas

I'm angry about all the suffering and death Marxism has imposed on the world, very angry.

I'm angry about all the history Marxism has twisted to suit its own purpose, very angry.

Snowman

Obama may be all the things that Vulture says he is, but dumb he ain’t. He must know by now that the whole project got doomed since the aim began morphing form kicking al-Qaida out, to fighting the Taliban, to nation building, to preventing terrorism on our streets, to implanting bits of the Western democracy model on these tribal lands. To just walk out, he cannot though. Read Hulsman’s piece, the guy’s well clued up, down to hinting at a possible exit strategy.

Subrosa

At last Fraser, a journalist who says how it really is. I've been blogging for weeks about the contempt in which Obama holds Britain, or more pointedly, Gordon Brown.

Dixon

Perhaps he harbours resentment at the British exporting "his" ancestors to the colonies...oh wait, they didnt.

I must say I am delighted at my 2008 predictions for an Obama presidency are coming true: he has found a way of pretending to push for a Copenhagen agreement without actually agreeing anything, has admitted Gitmo wont be closing any time soon and his plan on solving Afghanistan with that piddling 16000 extra troops he sent as promised hasnt borne fruit: hence he is on schedule to soon pee off most of the dhimmos who thought he was going to do all those things which he promised.

Austin Barry

Behind the Potemkin village of sharp suits, strutting self-regard and preening narcissism is a complete tosser. And since onanism is a solitary vice, Obama will remain a disengaged ally.

Snowman

Austin Barry: delightful, how’d you do it, u clever one.

viperrt

Spot on Vulture! It's unfortunate that so many in my country are so ignorant and uninformed (some are just plain dumb), though, it's not surprising with the liberal-government-loving media we have. A great number of us are disgusted with Obama, not to mention the House and Senate. Maybe it's time for another Revolution!?

Frank P

Obama has enough troubles of his own to cope with; Brown hardly figures in his daily considerations I would guess.

The hosts here seem very reluctant to discuss the turning of the tide States-side. We sorely need a British Beck with a similar platform over here. Surprised that Sky hasn't rigged it up. An articulate right wing ranter who can adduce the data with few flow charts delineating Obama's pedigree and his Marxist string-pullers? Not to mention our own administrations red roots. In the run-up to the election it would make good telly. But who would be the anchor?

Certainly couldn't be drawn from the current bunch of arrogant Leftist louts who control our own TV political output across all the channels.

RobP

On what basis do we know that a decision by Obama was 'imminent'? I mean, am I missing something or was this just on Gorgon's
say-so? Oh well that's bound to be true...

Rhoda Klapp

Frank, there is no way on earth you are going to see a British Beck, except maybe on trial. The only right-wing ranter you are liable to see is Clarkson, they hate him but because he appears to be a clown and is not a political commentator per se you are allowed to see him. Oh, and they drag out Griffin, because they are forced to, and attribute his views to anyone who is right of what they define as centre.

Percy

But don't worry because Hilary Clinton has got the hots for the geeky rubber band faced banana boy apparently.

Dixon

Some observer on the box let slip that the reason for Obammies vassilation is a bunch of Congressional elections coming up. He really doesnt want to make the decision...or announce whatever he has decided...until afterwards.

Not being clued up on the US electoral timetable I have to take that at face value. But I am surprised noone else here has mentioned it, particularly among our American contributors.

Archie

Frank P. The closest I've come across over here is Nick Ferrari on LBC radio in the morning. I know it's radio, but many of the phone-in audience appear to be a sort of less articulate Coffee Housers. Do you honestly think a Glenn Beck/Rush Limbaugh type would get air-time over here?

Mark Cleminson

Who doesn't hold Gordon Brown in contempt?

David Preiser

Dixon,

Those elections have already happened, and Afghanistan was not even a blip on the voters' radar. Someone was trying to sell you an excuse for The Obamessiah's procrastination. We had far more important things to worry about.

The Obamessiah is stalling for time not because He's genuinely looking for a better strategy to fix Afghanistan, but because He is waiting for the surrenderist media to stoke enough outrage at corruption in Karzai's government, and for Mr. Brown and the loyal BBC to stoke up enough outrage at the Labour government's failure to support British troops adequately.

There is your recipe for total withdrawal from Afghanistan. The Obamessiah will save face, as He can then easily get away with saying He had no choice, laying the blame elsewhere, as always. Brown will finally please the majority of UK citizens (for once), as most of you were against going into Afghanistan in the first place. So Brown will certainly not lost a single Labour vote over it.

This magazine was for the war in Afghanistan before it was against it, although that about-face was initially more due to Boris Johnson' s Blair Derangement Syndrome than anything else. You will all get your way soon, don't worry. The Taliban and Al Qaeda will be back in charge of Afghanistan, and you can all blame George W. Bush for it.

lupercal

i gotta give to u guys. America prolly is providing 90% of the troops and costs. After heavy lobbying from Obama, you all universally rejected taking more responsibility in Afpak. Except, of course, pontificating. But somehow u expect to be driving the timeline and jointly calling all the shots with the US. I'd thank you for providing so much needed assistance for the war, but it's as much to ur benefit as it is to mine. so let's not waste words here.

mtumba djibouti

Get used to it; this guy is all talk and no action. Fluff, but no substance. An empty suit.

czarina

Here's a tip from the "Progressives" here in the States: When your argument can't stand on its own merit, blame George W. Bush. It works everytime to shut up the opposition.

pissing in the wind

o yes lupercal, we should have kept out of this another usa gun o war! just like vietnam! where u cocked up. i find your post a insult the brave british soldiers coming back from afganistan in coffins.

Political Girl

Obamarama learned at a very early age when sitting on the knee of his mentor, Frank Davis the communist, to hate countries like England and other western nations. While I am no fan of PM Brown, he was treated shabbily by the President when he came to the States soon after the Inaugural.

Americans are beginning to learn Obamarama is nothing more than a cheerleader…give him a teleprompter and a cheer…er speech… and he can perform. Take him off the football field and he is lost. Those of us that opposed him in the 2008 election aren’t surprised at all, he is living up to our low expectations. Those that supported him are the ones having a hard time facing reality.