'I hate that phrase Special Relationship'

Historian Max Hastings says it is time Britain realises its place in the world and stops blindly following the United States. Conservative MP Brooks Newmark puts the pro-intervention case. .

[m]

I will always believe that the best policy makers are not political scientists, but historians

[olivergrumitt]

Max Hastings was absolutely right on this. Had Britain and the West intervened in Syria things would probably had got worse, not better, as what happened in Iraq and Libya. If the West were to intervene then it clearly must have a plan to cope with the aftermath of the intervention to prevent the country descending into chaos and anarchy and do more to win over hearts and minds. The West clearly failed to do that in Iraq, one absolutely foolish movie was to dismiss all members of the Iraqi Army, because they were members of Saddam’s Ba’ath Party. To be a soldier in Iraq and just about anything else, you needed to be a member of the Party, whether you liked it or not. By dismissing these soldiers, the Americans created a lot of anger and hatred and thus caused the insurgency against them to start which eventually led to ISIS and all the horrors associated with it.

[johnweir]

Brooks Newmark first loyalty to Israel.

[asadmohammed]

Brooks Newmarks is very friendly with the Friends of Israel lobby. So when he speaks on matters regarding the middle east, he doesn't speak on the part of the British people who elected him, rather he speaks in the interest of Israel.

[Onidax]

Kathy Newman seems allergic to letting her guests develop a point without her interrupting.

[wildgoose]

special relationship? As Jimmy the Gent said in the Goodfellas, "you do as you're told or you get wacked..."

[franksmith]

Just watched this guy on Andrew Neil show more or less criticising bomber command and having a pop at leavers in the brexit debate proberly picked up 10 grand appearance fee and plugged his book you really couldn't understand ordinary working people could you

[gruweldaad]

I don’t hate it. Not at all. Frankly, the British are the only NATO country that pull their weight, and they deserve to be thanked for it.

[zadramm]

Western world, would be where it is now, if was not for looting middle eastern and Islamic wealth. be it oil, or anything else..