Prime Minister Winston Churchill, (left) with President Franklin Roosevelt, at the 1945 Yalta Conference.

The special relationship is the phrase used to characterize what advocates view as the warm political, diplomatic, historical, and cultural relations between the United States and member nations of the Commonwealth of Nations or the United Kingdom. The phrase is more frequently used by British and American commentators^{[citation needed]} to mean the relationship between the United Kingdom and the United States (see Anglo-American relations), and its advocates view it as the chief benefit-in-action of the Anglosphere. Image File history File links Churchill_and_Roosevelt_Yalta. ... Image File history File links Churchill_and_Roosevelt_Yalta. ... The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is, in practice, the political leader of the the United Kingdom. ... Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC (Can) (30 November 1874 – 24 January 1965) was an English statesman, soldier, and author. ... The presidential seal was first used in 1880 by President Rutherford Bitch ass face Hayes and last modified in 1959 by adding the 50th star for Hawaii The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. ... Franklin Delano Roosevelt (January 30, 1882–April 12, 1945), 32nd President of the United States, the longest-serving holder of the office and the only man to be elected President more than twice, was one of the central figures of 20th century history. ... The Big Three at the Yalta Conference, Winston Churchill, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Joseph Stalin. ... International relations (IR), a branch of political science, is the study of foreign affairs of and relations among states within the international system, including the roles of states, inter-governmental organizations (IGOs), non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and multinational corporations (MNCs). ... The Commonwealth of Nations (CN), usually known as The Commonwealth, is a voluntary association of 53 independent sovereign states all of which are former colonies of the United Kingdom, except for Mozambique and the United Kingdom itself. ... The term Anglo-American relations refers to bilateral relations between the United Kingdom and the United States, especially since 1900. ... Definitions of the Anglosphere vary: one definition (depicted, all in blue) includes two node countries – the United Kingdom and the United States – and five outliers: Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, and South Africa. ...

Although the United States maintains a very close economic and military relationship with Canada (see NAFTA and NORAD), as well as with other countries such as Mexico, Japan, Israel and Australia, the level of cooperation in military planning, execution of military operations, nuclear weapon technology sharing and intelligence sharing between the U.S. and UK is unparalleled.^[1] Nafta or NAFTA may refer to: an acronym for the North American Free Trade Agreement an acronym for the New Zealand Australia Free Trade Agreement the town/Tokyo of Nafta, Tunisia This is a disambiguation page: a list of articles associated with the same title. ... NORAD is short for: North American Aerospace Defense Command Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...

History and overview

The origin of the term may be Winston Churchill's "Sinews of Peace Address" in Fulton, Missouri, better known for addressing the rise of communism and the Iron Curtain. Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC (Can) (30 November 1874 – 24 January 1965) was an English statesman, soldier, and author. ... Fulton is a city located in Callaway County, Missouri. ... Communism is an ideology that seeks to establish a classless, stateless social organization based on common ownership of the means of production. ... Warsaw Pact countries to the east of the Iron Curtain are shaded red; NATO members to the west of it — blue. ...

Neither the sure prevention of war, nor the continuous rise of world organization will be gained without what I have called the fraternal association of the English-speaking peoples ...a special relationship between the British Commonwealth and Empire and the United States. Fraternal association requires not only the growing friendship and mutual understanding between our two vast but kindred systems of society, but the continuance of the intimate relationship between our military advisers, leading to common study of potential dangers, the similarity of weapons and manuals of instructions, and to the interchange of officers and cadets at technical colleges. It should carry with it the continuance of the present facilities for mutual security by the joint use of all Naval and Air Force bases in the possession of either country all over the world. There is however an important question we must ask ourselves. Would a special relationship between the United States and the British Commonwealth be inconsistent with our over-riding loyalties to the World Organization? I reply that, on the contrary, it is probably the only means by which that organization will achieve its full stature and strength.

Most American commentators had until relatively recently construed the special relationship as a "one-way street", namely that Britain relied heavily on the United States to promote its affairs in international relations. This was certainly true from post-second World War Britain, until the resurgence of the British economy, after Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's radical economic and social reforms, 1979-1990. Moreover, Thatcher had an exceptionally close political and personal relationship with and influence on US President Ronald Reagan, which contributed in part to the international political climate which ultimately led to the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km into the air. ... Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, LG, OM, PC (born October 13, 1925), former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, in office from 1979 to 1990. ... Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was the 40th President of the United States (1981 – 1989) and the 33rd Governor of California (1967 – 1975). ...

As of July 2006, the economy of the United Kingdom is the fourth largest national economy in the world (measured by GDP). The economy of the United States is the largest national economy in the world. The US is the biggest single investor in the UK, and vice-versa (figures for 2004). This economic strength, together with Britain's influence as one of the "big three" in the European Union, has altered the relative US/UK balance somewhat. On the other hand, British commentators have implied that British support of American policy is rarely reciprocated when it is not directly in America's best interests, leaving Britain diplomatically isolated - for example during the Suez Crisis and at the July 2005 G8 summit under the Presidency of the UK, where Prime Minister Tony Blair signally failed to persuade President George W. Bush to sign up to the Kyoto Protocol - the US citing "harm to the United States' economy" as their principal objection. Early elections in November are announced in the Netherlands. ... The United Kingdom has the fifth largest gross domestic product in the world in terms of market exchange rates and the sixth largest by purchasing power parity (PPP). ... The United States has an economy with a GDP for 2006 of 13. ... Combatants Israel United Kingdom France Egypt Commanders Moshe Dayan Charles Keightley Pierre Barjot Gamal Abdel Nasser Strength 175,000 Israeli 45,000 British 34,000 French 70,000 Casualties 197 Israeli KIA 56 British KIA 91 British WIA 10 French KIA 43 French WIA 650 KIA 2,900 WIA 2... The Group of Eight (G8) is an international forum for the governments of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States. ... For other people of the same name, see Tony Blair (disambiguation) Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born May 6, 1953)[1] is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, Leader of the Labour Party, and Member of Parliament for the constituency... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the 43rd and current President of the United States, inaugurated on January 20, 2001. ... Kyoto Protocol Opened for signature December 11, 1997 in Kyoto, Japan Entered into force February 16, 2005. ...

The British did not 'toe the line' with American Policy in Vietnam (at least not officially - nor commit troops), although Australia were allies in this complicated and lengthy conflict.

The 'special relationship' was most recently demonstrated during the war in Iraq. Combatants Coalition Forces: United States United Kingdom South Korea Australia Poland Romania others. ...

During the worst periods of the cold war the United Kingdom was jokingly referred to as the "biggest US aircraft carrier in the world". During certain periods of the 1970s and 1980s there were more US military aircraft based in the UK than the complete strength of the Royal Air Force. This interweaving of the combined US and UK military forces (as well as shared intelligence detailed below) is an indication that the 'special relationship' is likely to continue for some time. Airstrip One is the name used for the Oceanic province consisting of Great Britain in George Orwells dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty-Four. ...

National links

Examples of strong links between the two nations include military and intelligence co-operation as well as significant economic and cultural synergies.

Military

The Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia is home to a military base jointly operated by the US and UK.

The unparalleled level of military co-operation began with the creation of the Combined Chiefs of Staff in December 1941, a military command with authority over all American and British operations. This cooperation has increased steadily since the early 1950s when military contacts were re-established.^[1] File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Diego Garcia () is an atoll located in the heart of the Indian Ocean, some 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometres) south of Indias southern coast. ...

Since the Berlin Blockade the United States has maintained substantial forces in Britain. In July 1948, the first American deployment began with the stationing of B-29 bombers. Currently, an important base is the radar facility RAF Fylingdales, part of the US Ballistic Missile Early Warning System, although this base is operated under entirely British command and has only one USAF representative for largely administrative reasons. Several other bases with a significant US presence include RAF Menwith Hill (only a short distance from RAF Fylingdales), RAF Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall as well as a jointly operated military facility on Diego Garcia in the British Indian Ocean Territory. Following the end of the Cold War, which was the main rationale for their presence, the number of US facilities in the UK has been reduced in number in line with the US military worldwide. Despite this, these bases have been used extensively in support of various peacekeeping and offensive operations of the 1990s and early 21st century. Occupation zones after 1945. ... The Boeing B-29 Superfortress was a four-engine heavy bomber propeller aircraft flown by the United States Army Air Forces in World War II and other military organizations afterwards. ... This long range Radar antenna, known as ALTAIR, is used to detect and track space objects in conjunction with ABM testing at the Ronald Reagan Test Site on the Kwajalein atoll[1]. Radar is a system that uses radio waves to determine and map the location, direction, and/or speed... BMEWS solid-state phased-array radar at RAF Fylingdales RAF Fylingdales is a British Royal Air Force station on Fylingdales Moor, North Yorkshire, England. ... Phased array BMEWS Installation at Thule, Greenland The Ballistic Missile Early Warning System (BMEWS) was the first operational ballistic missile detection radar. ... Seal of the Air Force. ... Menwith Hill from the air RAF Menwith Hill is an intelligence-gathering base located approximately eight miles west of the town of Harrogate, UK, 54°00′N 1°41′W. Founded in the 1950s to monitor High Frequency radio communications, it has been operated since 1966 by the US National... McDonnell Douglas F-15C-42-MC Eagle Serial 86-0175 taxis for takeoff RAF Lakenheath (IATA: LKZ, ICAO: EGUL) is a NATO airfield located near Lakenheath in Suffolk, England. ... RAF Mildenhall is a Royal Air Force station in Suffolk, England. ... Diego Garcia () is an atoll located in the heart of the Indian Ocean, some 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometres) south of Indias southern coast. ... The armed forces of the United States of America consist of the United States Army United States Navy United States Air Force United States Marine Corps United States Coast Guard Note: The United States Coast Guard has both military and law enforcement functions. ... It has been suggested that this article be split into multiple articles accessible from a disambiguation page. ...

Nuclear weapons development

The Quebec Agreement of 1943 paved the way for the two countries to develop atomic weapons side by side, Britain handing over vital documents from its own Tube Alloys project and sending a delegation to assist in the work of the Manhattan Project. America kept the results of the work to itself due to the postwar McMahon Act, but after Britain developed its own thermonuclear weapons the United States agreed to supply delivery systems, designs and nuclear material for British warheads through the 1958 US-UK Mutual Defence Agreement. Britain purchased first Polaris and then the Trident system which remains in use today. This co-operation has allowed Britain to establish a more efficient, cost effective nuclear deterrent than France's Force de frappe. British attempts to provide reciprocal technology to the U.S., such as Chevaline, have been largely unsuccessful. The 1958 agreement gave the UK access to the facilities at the Nevada Test Site and it would test a total of 25 underground tests until the cessation of testing in 1991. The agreement under which this partnership operates was recently updated, it is argued that US assistance for the UK nuclear deterrent is in breach of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. The Quebec Agreement was an Anglo-Canadian-American document which outlined the terms of nuclear nonproliferation between the United Kingdom and the United States. ... The mushroom cloud of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, Japan, in 1945 lifted nuclear fallout some 18km (60,000 feet) above the epicenter. ... // Tube Alloys was the code-name for the British nuclear weapon programme during World War II, when the very possibility of nuclear weapons was kept at such a high level of secrecy that it had to be referred to by code even in the highest circles of government. ... The Manhattan Project resulted in nuclear weapons, and the first-ever nuclear detonation, at the Trinity test of July 16, 1945. ... The McMahon Act is an informal name for the Atomic Energy Act of 1946 which determined, in the wake of World War II how the United States government would control and manage the nuclear technology it had developed. ... The 1958 US-UK Mutual Defence Agreement is a bilateral treaty between the US and the UK on nuclear weapons cooperation. ... The Polaris Missile was a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) carrying a nuclear warhead developed during the Cold War for the United States Navy. ... The Trident missile, named after the trident, is an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) which is armed with nuclear warheads and is launched from submarines (SSBNs), making it a SLBM. The Trident was built in two variants: the I (C4) UGM-96A and II (D5) UGM-133A. The C4 and D5... The Redoutable, the first French nuclear missile submarine // a Pluton missile mobile launcher The Force de frappe (literally Striking Force; meant for dissuasion, i. ... Chevaline Penetration Aid Carrier (warhead platform) on display at RAF Kemble. ... The Nevada Test Site is a United States Department of Energy reservation located in Nye County, Nevada, about 65 miles (105 km) northwest of the City of Las Vegas, near . ... Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Opened for signature July 1, 1968 in New York Entered into force March 5, 1970 Conditions for entry into force Ratification by the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, the United States, and 40 other signatory states. ...

Intelligence sharing

The special relationship has maintained ties in collecting and sharing intelligence since World War II. This aspect of the relationship originally grew from the common goal of monitoring and countering the threat of communism. Currently, a major example of cooperation is of the UKUSA Community, comprising the USA's National Security Agency (NSA), the UK's Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), Australia's Defence Signals Directorate (DSD) and Canada's Communications Security Establishment collaborating on ECHELON, a global intelligence gathering system. Moreover, the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada are the only countries which the CIA has publicly stated that it does not spy upon. This is generally interpreted as meaning that the CIA does not maintain intelligence agents in these aforementioned countries.^{[citation needed]} The UKUSA Community is an alliance of English-speaking nations for the purpose of gathering intelligence via signals intelligence. ... The National Security Agency/Central Security Service (NSA/CSS) is the U.S. governments cryptologic organization. ... The Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) is a British intelligence agency responsible for providing signals intelligence (SIGINT) and information assurance. ... The Defence Signals Directorate (DSD) is Australias signals intelligence (SIGINT) collection agency. ... The CSE badge The Communications Security Establishment or CSE is an intelligence agency of the Canadian government, charged with the duty of keeping track of foreign signals intelligence. ... A radome at RAF Menwith Hill, a site with satellite downlink capabilities that some believe to be used by ECHELON. ECHELON is a name used to describe a highly secretive world-wide signals intelligence and analysis network said to be run by the UKUSA Community (comprised of intelligence agencies of... The CIA Seal The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is an American intelligence agency, responsible for obtaining and analyzing information about foreign governments, corporations, and individuals, and reporting such information to the various branches of the U.S. Government. ...

Military procurement

The X-35

The UK is the only "level one" international partner in the largest U.S. aircraft procurement project in history, the F-35 Lightning II programme. The UK was involved in writing the specification and selection and its largest defence contractor BAE Systems is a partner of the American prime contractor Lockheed Martin. BAE Systems is also the largest foreign supplier to the United States Defense Department and has been permitted to buy important US defence companies such as Lockheed Martin Aerospace Electronic Systems and United Defense. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2331x1800, 376 KB) Description : A Lockheed F-35 in flying Photographer : US Air Force http://www. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2331x1800, 376 KB) Description : A Lockheed F-35 in flying Photographer : US Air Force http://www. ... The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) is a fighter plane currently in early development by Lockheed Martin (with partners Northrop Grumman and BAE SYSTEMS.) The primary customers are the United States armed forces and the United Kingdom (RN and RAF), but the Netherlands... Look up aircraft in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The F-35 Lightning II—descended from the X-35 of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program—is a single-seat, single-engined military strike fighter, a multi-role aircraft that can perform close air support, tactical bombing, and air-to-air combat. ... A defense contractor or a military contractor is a business or individual who contracts with a government to provide goods or services used for national security or warfare. ... BAE Systems plc is the worlds fourth largest defence contractor,[3] the largest in Europe and a commercial aerospace manufacturer. ... Lockheed/BAE/Northrop F-35 Lockheed Trident missile C-130 Hercules; in production since the 1950s, now as the C-130J Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) is an aerospace manufacturer formed in 1995 by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta. ... Lockheed Martin Aerospace Electronic Systems was a division of Lockheed Martin. ... United Defense Industries was a United States defense contractor which is now part of BAE Systems Land and Armaments. ...

Other joint projects include the United States Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier II and the US Navy T-45 Goshawk. Both nations also operate several common designs, including the Javelin anti-tank missile, M270 rocket artillery, the Apache gunship, C-130 Hercules and C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft. The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is a branch of the U.S. military responsible for providing power projection from the sea,[1] utilizing the mobility of the U.S. Navy to rapidly deliver combined-arms task forces to global crises. ... See also Hawker Siddeley Harrier The Harrier II is a second generation, vertical/short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) light_attack jet aircraft used by the United States Marine Corps, Royal Air Force, Spanish Armada and Italian navy. ... The United States Navy, also known as the USN or the U.S. Navy, is a branch of the United States armed forces responsible for conducting naval operations. ... The BAE Hawk is an advanced jet trainer manufactured by BAE SYSTEMS and used by the Royal Air Force and other countries. ... A soldier practices with the Javelin on a firing range. ... M270 MLRS The M270 MLRS conducts a rocket launch. ... The AH-64 Apache is the United States Armys principal attack helicopter, and is the successor to the AH-1 Cobra. ... The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop cargo aircraft and the main tactical airlifter for many military forces worldwide. ... The C_17 Globemaster III is a strategic airlifter manufactured by Boeing IDS, used by the United States Air Force and the Royal Air Force. ...

Economic

The United States is the largest source of Foreign Direct Investment to the UK economy, likewise the UK is the largest single investor in the US economy. [2] British trade and capital have been important components of the American economy for centuries.

Personal relationships

Prime Minister Winston Churchill, (left) with President Franklin Roosevelt, August 1941.

In either case the relationship often depends on the personal relations between British Prime Ministers and U.S. Presidents. The first example was the close relationship between Winston Churchill and Franklin Roosevelt who were in fact distantly related. Prior to their collaboration during World War II Anglo-American relations had been somewhat frosty. President Woodrow Wilson and Prime Minister David Lloyd George had enjoyed nothing that could be described as a special relationship, although Lloyd George's wartime Foreign Secretary, Arthur Balfour, got on well with Wilson during his time in the United States and helped convince a previously skeptical Wilson to enter the war. Churchill, himself half-American, spent much time and effort cultivating the relationship which paid dividends for the war effort though it cost Britain much of her wealth and ultimately her empire^{[citation needed]}. Two great architects of the special relationship on a practical level were Field Marshal Sir John Dill and General George Marshall whose excellent personal relations and senior positions (Roosevelt was especially close to Marshall) oiled the wheels of the alliance considerably. Prime Minister Winston Churchill and President Franklin Roosevelt aboard the U.S. S. Augusta, off the coast of Newfoundland, August 1941. ... Prime Minister Winston Churchill and President Franklin Roosevelt aboard the U.S. S. Augusta, off the coast of Newfoundland, August 1941. ... The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is, in practice, the political leader of the the United Kingdom. ... Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC (Can) (30 November 1874 – 24 January 1965) was an English statesman, soldier, and author. ... The presidential seal was first used in 1880 by President Rutherford Bitch ass face Hayes and last modified in 1959 by adding the 50th star for Hawaii The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. ... Franklin Delano Roosevelt (January 30, 1882–April 12, 1945), 32nd President of the United States, the longest-serving holder of the office and the only man to be elected President more than twice, was one of the central figures of 20th century history. ... Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC (Can) (30 November 1874 – 24 January 1965) was an English statesman, soldier, and author. ... Franklin Delano Roosevelt (January 30, 1882–April 12, 1945), 32nd President of the United States, the longest-serving holder of the office and the only man to be elected President more than twice, was one of the central figures of 20th century history. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856 – February 3, 1924), was the 28th President of the United States. ... David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd George of Dwyfor, OM, PC (17 January 1863 – 26 March 1945) was a British statesman who guided Britain and the Commonwealth of Nations through World War I and the postwar settlement as the Liberal Party Prime Minister, 1916-1922. ... The title of Foreign Secretary has been traditionally used to refer to the British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. ... Arthur James Balfour, 1st Earl of Balfour, KG, OM, PC (25 July 1848 – 19 March 1930) was a British statesman and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1902 until 1905. ... Field Marshal Sir John Greer Dill CMG DSO GCB (25 December 1881 - 4 November 1944) was a British commander in World War I and World War II who played a significant role in the formation of the special relationship. ... For other persons named George Marshall, see George Marshall (disambiguation). ...

Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan at Camp David in 1986.

The links that were created during the war - such as the British military liaison officers posted to Washington - persist. However for Britain to gain any benefit from the relationship it became clear that a constant policy of personal engagement was required. Britain starting off in 1941 as somewhat the senior partner had quickly found itself the junior. The diplomatic policy was thus two pronged, encompassing strong personal support and equally forthright military and political aid. These two have always operated in tandem, that is to say the best personal relationships between British prime ministers and American presidents have always been those based around shared goals. For example, Harold Wilson's government would not commit troops to Vietnam. Harold Wilson and Lyndon Johnson did not get on especially well. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (503x750, 64 KB) President Reagan walking with Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher at Camp David, 1986. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (503x750, 64 KB) President Reagan walking with Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher at Camp David, 1986. ... Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, LG, OM, PC (born October 13, 1925), former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, in office from 1979 to 1990. ... Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was the 40th President of the United States (1981 – 1989) and the 33rd Governor of California (1967 – 1975). ... The West Wing, see NSF Thurmont (The West Wing). ... James Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, KG, OBE, FRS, PC (11 March 1916 – 24 May 1995) was one of the most prominent British politicians of the 20th century. ... Lyndon Baines Johnson (August 27, 1908–January 22, 1973), often referred to as LBJ, was an American politician. ...

Highlights in the special relationship would include Harold Macmillan and John F. Kennedy or Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan. Nadirs have included Wilson's refusal to enter the war in Vietnam and the American government's lack of support for British operations in Suez under Anthony Eden. While the relationship between the two countries may have been strained by Reagan's neutrality in the initial phases of the Falklands War this was more than countered by the US Defense Secretary, Casper Weinberger, who approved shipments of the latest weapons to the massing British taskforce. Bill Clinton was poorly disposed towards John Major after it was alleged that the Conservative government had allowed his Republican opponents access to British documents detailing his time at Oxford University. Friction in their relationship was also demonstrated when in March 1995 Major refused to answer the phone calls of Clinton over his decision to invite Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams to the White House for Saint Patrick's Day.^[2] Maurice Harold Macmillan, 1st Earl of Stockton, OM, PC (10 February 1894 – 29 December 1986), was a British Conservative politician and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1957 to 1963. ... John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), also referred to as John F. Kennedy, JFK, John Kennedy or Jack Kennedy, was the 35th President of the United States. ... Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, LG, OM, PC (born October 13, 1925), former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, in office from 1979 to 1990. ... Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was the 40th President of the United States (1981 – 1989) and the 33rd Governor of California (1967 – 1975). ... Robert Anthony Eden, 1st Earl of Avon, KG, MC, PC (June 12, 1897– January 14, 1977), British politician, was Foreign Secretary for three periods between 1935 and 1955, including World War II and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1955 to 1957. ... Combatants United Kingdom Argentina Commanders Sir John Fieldhouse Sir John Woodward Margaret Thatcher Leopoldo Galtieri Mario Menéndez Ernesto Crespo Casualties 258 killed[1] 777 wounded 59 taken prisoner 649 killed 1,068 wounded 11,313 taken prisoner The Falklands War (Spanish: ) was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the... Caspar Willard Weinberger (born August 18, 1917) is best known as United States Secretary of Defense under President Ronald Reagan from 1982 through 1987, and for his related roles in the Strategic Defense Initiative program (popularly known as Star Wars), and in the Iran-Contra Affair. ... William Jefferson Bill Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III[1] on August 19, 1946) was the 42nd President of the United States, serving from 1993 to 2001. ... Sir John Major, KG, CH, PC (born 29 March 1943) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and leader of the British Conservative Party from 1990 to 1997. ... The University of Oxford, located in the city of Oxford in England, is the oldest university in the English-speaking world. ... Sinn Féin (in the Irish language ourselves or we ourselves; not as sometimes incorrectly translated, ourselves alone) is an Irish political party. ... Gerard Adams (Irish Gearóid Mac Ádhaimh[1]; born 6 October 1948) is an Irish Republican politician and abstentionist Westminster Member of Parliament for Belfast West. ... North façade of the White House, seen from Pennsylvania Avenue. ... St. ...

The Blair-Bush relationship, discussed below, equalled the level of the Thatcher-Reagan relationship.

Current status

British Prime Minister Tony Blair (left) hosted by the President of the United States, George W. Bush at Camp David in March 2003, in the build-up to the invasion of Iraq by their countries.

Recent events have served to highlight the nature of the special relationship by increasing the importance of Britain in relation to the US. Following the September 11 Attacks in New York and Washington DC, British Prime Minister Tony Blair flew to Washington. In a speech to the United States Congress, nine days after the attack, President Bush declared "America has no truer friend than Great Britain."^[3] Following that speech Blair embarked on two months of diplomacy gathering international support for military action. The BBC estimates that, in total, the prime minister held 54 meetings with world leaders and travelled more than 40,000 miles (60,000 km). Image File history File linksMetadata Bush_and_Blair_at_Camp_David. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Bush_and_Blair_at_Camp_David. ... In the United Kingdom, the Prime Minister is the head of government, exercising many of the executive functions nominally vested in the Sovereign, who is head of state. ... For other people of the same name, see Tony Blair (disambiguation) Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born May 6, 1953)[1] is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, Leader of the Labour Party, and Member of Parliament for the constituency... The presidential seal was first used in 1880 by President Rutherford Bitch ass face Hayes and last modified in 1959 by adding the 50th star for Hawaii The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. ... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the 43rd and current President of the United States, inaugurated on January 20, 2001. ... The West Wing, see NSF Thurmont (The West Wing). ... For other uses of the term, see Iraq war (disambiguation) The 2003 invasion of Iraq (also called the 2nd or 3rd Persian Gulf War) began on March 20, 2003, when forces belonging primarily to the United States and the United Kingdom invaded Iraq without the explicit backing of the United... The World Trade Center on fire The September 11, 2001 attacks were a series of coordinated terrorist attacks against the United States on September 11, 2001. ... NY redirects here. ... Aerial photo (looking NW) of the Washington Monument and the White House in Washington, DC. Washington, D.C., officially the District of Columbia (also known as D.C.; Washington; the Nations Capital; the District; and, historically, the Federal City) is the capital city and administrative district of the United... The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is, in practice, the political leader of the the United Kingdom. ... For other people of the same name, see Tony Blair (disambiguation) Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born May 6, 1953)[1] is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, Leader of the Labour Party, and Member of Parliament for the constituency... Type Bicameralism Houses Senate House of Representatives United States Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D, since January 4, 2007 Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D, since January 4, 2007 Members 535 plus 4 Delegates and 1 Resident Commissioner Political groups (as of November 7, 2006 elections) Democratic Party Republican... The presidential seal was first used in 1880 by President Rutherford Bitch ass face Hayes and last modified in 1959 by adding the 50th star for Hawaii The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. ... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the 43rd and current President of the United States, inaugurated on January 20, 2001. ... The British Broadcasting Corporation, usually known as the BBC (and also informally known as the Beeb or Auntie) is the largest broadcasting corporation in the world in terms of audience numbers, employing 26,000 staff in the United Kingdom alone and with a budget of more than GB£4 billion...

President Bush also said Britain was America's "closest friend in the world" in a November 2003 in the Banqueting House in London. Of course President Bush also emphasises close ties to other countries, for example "We have no greater friend than Mexico" (September 2001), and "We have no better friend than Canada" (February 2002). Traditionally, a new president meets the leaders of the US's neighbours before those of other nations. Banqueting House, Whitehall, London The Banqueting House at Whitehall is a famous London building, formerly part of the Palace of Whitehall, designed by architect Inigo Jones in 1619, and completed in 1622, with assistance from John Webb. ...

Prime Minister Tony Blair's involvement in the war in Iraq has damaged his standing at home (both in the country at large, and especially within his own party) and in Europe but will buttress the relationship at least to the end of his term in office due to the re-election of George W. Bush. When Bush first took office in January 2001, it was predicted by some that Third Way/Clintonesque Blair and the conservative Bush would have little common ground but in fact their shared beliefs and responses to the international situation following 9/11 formed the commonality of purpose so important to the special relationship. Blair, like Bush, was convinced of the importance of moving against the new threat both perceived to international order. Warm personal relations apparently followed. Third way can refer to: The Third Way, an economic and political idea that positions itself between democratic socialism and laissez-faire capitalism, combining the ordoliberal social market with neo-liberalism. ... American conservatism is a constellation of political ideologies within the United States under the blanket heading of conservative. ... The date that commonly refers to the attacks on United States citizens on September 11, 2001 (see the September 11, 2001 Attacks). ...

The presidential election of 2004 presented Blair with a political dilemma. The Labour Party has traditional ideological links with the Democrats. Blair therefore, could not demonstrate any preference of candidate in the election. Although the majority of his party were backing Kerry, the Prime Minister was unable to voice such support for fear of damaging relations with Bush if he were to be re-elected. On the other hand, supporting Bush would have damaged links between Labour and the Democrats as well as infuriating a large proportion of backbench Labour Members of Parliament, many of whom are highly critical of Blair's relationship with Bush. The Labour Party has been, since its founding in the early 20th century, the principal political party of the left in the United Kingdom. ... A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a parliament. ...

In welcoming Bush's re-election in November 2004, Blair made clear that he expected a renewed effort in the Middle East peace process and a more sympathetic stance towards environmental issues. These issues will establish a benchmark against which Bush's willingness to galvanise American policy at British request can be measured and demonstrate whether Britain has actually made any political capital from its involvement in Iraq. A map showing countries commonly considered to be part of the Middle East The Middle East is a region comprising the lands around the southern and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Sea, a territory that extends from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. ...

The 2006 Israel-Lebanon Crisis has caused some tension between the United States and UK. The apparent support of both Tony Blair and the United States administration for Israel caused disquiet among the general public and Tony Blair's cabinet. On 27 July, Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett openly criticised the US for "ignoring procedure" when using Prestwick Airport as a stop off point for delivering laser-guided bombs to Israel.^[4] On 17 August, The Independent reported that Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott had said that George Bush was "crap" with regard to the Middle East Roadmap, which Prescott felt had been a condition of his support for the war in Iraq.^[5][6] Combatants Israel Lebanon Hezbollah Commanders Dan Halutz (Chief of Staff) Udi Adam (Regional) Michel Sulaiman Hassan Nasrallah (Secretary General) Casualties 12 civilians killed 500 civilians injured [1] 12 soldiers killed 6 soldiers wounded[2] 2 soldiers captured[2][3][4] 1 warship damaged 1 tank destroyed[5] (Israeli media accounts... July 27 is the 208th day (209th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 157 days remaining. ... Margaret Mary Beckett (born 15 January 1943) is a British Labour Party politician who currently is Member of Parliament (MP) for Derby South and, since May 6, 2006, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs; the first woman to hold this position in the British Cabinet and only... Glasgow Prestwick International Airport (IATA: PIK, ICAO: EGPK) is a facility situated north of the town of Prestwick in Ayrshire, Scotland. ... A laser-guided bomb (LGB) is a free-fall bomb, usually dropped from an aircraft, that is guided to its target by a laser designator The laser is directed at the target, illuminating it. ... August 17 is the 229th day of the year (230th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Independent is a British compact newspaper published by Tony OReillys Independent News & Media. ... John Leslie Prescott MP (born 31 May 1938) is a British Labour Party politician, Deputy Prime Minister, First Secretary of State and Member of Parliament for the North East constituency of Hull East. ... Look up Crap in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Public opinion

In recent years there has been a divergence between the close government relations and British public opinion, and UK perceptions of the relationship have come under increasing strain:

• The US has been perceived to pursue an aggressive trade policy, using or ignoring WTO rules; the aspects of this causing most difficulty to the UK have been high tariffs on European (including UK) steel products^[7] and a successful challenge to the protection of small family banana farmers in the West Indies from large US corporations such as the American Financial Corporation.^[8]

• Despite mounting scientific evidence of the importance of climate change, an issue high on the agenda in the UK, the US Government refused to accede to the Kyoto Protocol, the only major international accord aimed at controlling it.

• The US Government refused to accede to the treaty setting up the International Criminal Court, another UK priority.^[9] Foreign observers recalled the 1970s failure to bring the perpetrators of the My Lai massacre to justice.^[10]

• The US pressured the UK Government to agree to an unequal extradition treaty,^[11] whereby the UK needed to make a prima facie case to US courts before extradition was possible, but extradition from the UK to the US was a matter of administrative decision alone. This was initially seen as an anti-terrorist measure in the wake of the destruction of the World Trade Center. Very soon, however, it was being used by the US to remove and prosecute on fraud charges a number of high-profile City of London businessmen (the Natwest Three).

• After the Iraq War, there was a series of coroners' inquests into incidents during its course involving the deaths of UK armed servicemen caused by US forces. In January 2007 this culminated in the US refusing to release cockpit recordings of the actions leading to the death of Lance-Corporal Matty Hull of the Household Cavalry, and threatening newspapers who published them with prosecution.

A June 2006 poll by Populus for The Times^[12] showed that the number of Britons agreeing that "it is important for Britain’s long-term security that we have a close and special relationship with the US" had fallen to 58% (from 71% in April), and that 65% believed that "Britain’s future lies more with Europe than America". 44% agreed that "America is a force for good in the world." A later poll reported in The Guardian^[13] during the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict said that 63% of Britons felt that Britain is tied too closely to the US. Despite this, many Britons still prefer a future close to the US than the EU. This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Kyoto Protocol Opened for signature December 11, 1997 in Kyoto, Japan Entered into force February 16, 2005. ... Official logo of the ICC. The International Criminal Court (ICC) was established in 2002 as a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, crime of aggression, and war crimes, as defined by several international agreements, most prominently the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. ... Photographs of the My Lai massacre provoked world outrage and made it an international scandal. ... Extradition is the official process by which one nation or state requests and obtains from another nation or state the surrender of a suspected or convicted criminal. ... A sequential look at United Flight 175 crashing into the south tower of the World Trade Center The September 11, 2001 attacks (often referred to as 9/11—pronounced nine eleven or nine one one) consisted of a series of coordinated terrorist[1] suicide attacks upon the United States, predominantly... The City of London is a geographically-small city within Greater London, England. ... The NatWest Three, also known as the Enron Three, are three United Kingdom businessmen—Giles Darby, David Bermingham and Gary Mulgrew—who were extradited to the United States on July 13, 2006 on charges relating[1] to a transaction with Enron Corporation in 2000 when they were working for the... For other uses, see Iraq war (disambiguation). ... A coroner is either the presiding officer of a special court, a medical officer or an officer of law responsible for investigating deaths, particularly those happening under unusual circumstances. ... Friendly fire (fratricide or non-hostile fire) is a term originally adopted by the United States military in reference to an attack on friendly forces by other friendly forces,[1] which may be deliberate (e. ... Dismounted Blues and Royals (left) and Life Guards (right) preparing to line the route of the Garter procession at Windsor Castle Household Cavalry is used across the Commonwealth to describe the cavalry of the Household Divisions, a country’s most elite or historically senior military groupings or those military groupings... The Times is a national newspaper published daily in the United Kingdom since 1785, and under its current name since 1788. ... The Guardian is a British newspaper owned by the Guardian Media Group. ... Combatants Hezbollah Amal LCP  Israel Commanders Hassan Nasrallah (Secretary General of Hezbollah) Imad Mughniyeh (Commander of Hezbollahs armed wing)[5] Dan Halutz (CoS) Moshe Kaplinsky[12] Udi Adam (Regional) Strength 600-1,000 active fighters 3,000-10,000 reservists[6] 30,000 ground troops (plus IAF & ISC)[13...

Polls of the US public show that Britain is viewed more positively than any other country. 76% of Americans polled viewed Great Britain as an "ally in the War on Terror" according to Rasmussen Reports.[3] According to Harris Interactive 74% of Americans view Great Britain as a "close ally", well ahead of next-ranked Canada at 48%.

See also

• Anglo-American relations
• Foreign relations of the United Kingdom
• Foreign relations of the United States
• The Great Rapprochement

The term Anglo-American relations refers to bilateral relations between the United Kingdom and the United States, especially since 1900. ... British Prime Minister Tony Blair (left) conducting diplomacy, hosted by the President of the United States, George W. Bush at Camp David in March 2003. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The Great Rapprochement, a term usually attributed to Bradford Perkins, is used to describe the convergence of social and political objectives, between the United States and the British Empire, in the two decades before the Great War(1914). ...

External links

• June 2002, Policy Review, The State of the Special Relationship
• State Department Official disparages the relationship

Policy Review is one of Americas leading conservative journals. ...

References