[mt774]

Do you feel Britain is bitter with America?

Britain for long time was number 1 superpower country, which many countries were intimidated by and Britain could make minions out of those smaller countires. But now Britain must follow what America does to be seen as important ally, with many British prime minister being scared to be seen as non-friend of America.

do you feel like those Britons are so desperate to reclaim that post as the most intimidating country; and feel bitter deep inside at Americans?

[geko]

Quote

do you feel like those Britons are so desperate to reclaim that post as the most intimidating country; and feel bitter deep inside at Americans?

I hope not

[mt774]

I feel many Brits are always thinking America a bully and wish British would distance themselves from American political relationship. Middle-class white British want to be like during Edwardian times.

[Qfwfq]

mt774, on 08 October 2011 - 09:53 AM, said:

do you feel like those Britons are so desperate to reclaim that post as the most intimidating country; and feel bitter deep inside at Americans?

and then:

mt774, on 10 October 2011 - 04:36 AM, said:

I feel many Brits are always thinking America a bully and wish British would distance themselves from American political relationship. Middle-class white British want to be like during Edwardian times.

If you think all these Brits are so eager for their country to be the bully again, would this really be a reason for them to distance themselves from American political relationships? Serious?

It would make sense if they thought they could make minions out of the USA, but I'm sure they don't quite believe they can and neither want to. Any Brit who wants the UK to be the bully again can only support doing so along with the USA, in agreement with them. Look, just in these past months, how they continued where the USA left off about smashing that Libyan crank, as soon as folks were rebelling against him. No doubt the NTC is willing to pay the bill for service rendered and it's a certainty they are able to do so. Likely a better buy than their participation in the Middle East wars.

[mt774]

Are you saying Britain will need American cooperation to be "big daddy" of the world again?

[Qfwfq]

mt774, on 18 October 2011 - 09:39 AM, said:

Are you saying Britain will need American cooperation to be "big daddy" of the world again?

I'm not saying that they need it; if the USA was suddenly switched to being any old country, the Brits likely could do it without them. As it is, do you think it would make sense for the Brits to so in disagreement with the USA? Methinks the two of them stepping on each other's toes would make for trouble.

[Eclogite]

The baby boomers, now in their sixties, are the last sizeable tranche of citizens who remember the days of Empire. There is a desire to be an major player in the world: this is appropriate as the world's sixth largest economy. Former Prime Minister Harold MacMillan believed the UK had an important global role to play as part of Europe, as a close ally of the US and as the founder nation of the Commonwealth. Certainly the history and the alliances growing out of that history mean that the UK wishes to and probably can 'punch above their weight' for a while longer.

This, however, does not include a desire to supplant the US (which would be impossible), or to cosy up to them without an appropriate prid pro quo, nor does it involve any resentment against them for having become the world's only (current) superpower. What is true, as mt774 has suggested, is that many Britons object to the arrogance of the US approach to the world and find the parochialism that (Arguably) lies at the heart of that arrogance to be distasteful.

[Qfwfq]

Eclogite, on 19 October 2011 - 03:11 AM, said:

...is that many Britons object to the arrogance of the US approach to the world and find the parochialism that (Arguably) lies at the heart of that arrogance to be distasteful.

Yes this is much more the point, but cetainly is not a thing for only the Limeys to object to.

Many people around the world complain of this attitude and it is something hard for North Americans to be aware of and understand. One thing though, it is somewhat like the Brits were, during the Empire, and the French, during their colonial days. Presumably it was similar during the Roman Empire and other historic epochs. I s'pose it just comes natural in such cases, part of human nature maybe.