# Damning verdict on one-sided US-UK relations after Iraq # State Department official says Blair is ignored by Bush Timeline In a devastating verdict on Tony Blair's decision to back war in Iraq and his "totally one-sided" relationship with President Bush, a US State Department official has said that Britain's role as a bridge between America and Europe is now "disappearing before our eyes". Kendall Myers, a senior State Department analyst, disclosed that for all Britain's attempts to influence US policy in recent years, "we typically ignore them and take no notice -- it's a sad business". He added that he felt "a little ashamed" at Mr Bush's treatment of the Prime Minister, who had invested so much of his political capital in standing shoulder to shoulder with America after 9/11. Speaking at an academic forum in Washington on Tuesday night, he answered a question from The Times, saying: "It was a done deal from the beginning, it was a onesided relationship that was entered into with open eyes . . . there was nothing. There was no payback, no sense of reciprocity." His remarks brought calls from British politicians last night for the special relationship to be rethought, but also attracted scathing criticism from one close supporter of the Prime Minister.
Timeline
In a devastating verdict on Tony Blair's decision to back war in Iraq and his "totally one-sided" relationship with President Bush, a US State Department official has said that Britain's role as a bridge between America and Europe is now "disappearing before our eyes".
Kendall Myers, a senior State Department analyst, disclosed that for all Britain's attempts to influence US policy in recent years, "we typically ignore them and take no notice -- it's a sad business".
He added that he felt "a little ashamed" at Mr Bush's treatment of the Prime Minister, who had invested so much of his political capital in standing shoulder to shoulder with America after 9/11.
Speaking at an academic forum in Washington on Tuesday night, he answered a question from The Times, saying: "It was a done deal from the beginning, it was a onesided relationship that was entered into with open eyes . . . there was nothing. There was no payback, no sense of reciprocity."
His remarks brought calls from British politicians last night for the special relationship to be rethought, but also attracted scathing criticism from one close supporter of the Prime Minister.
for all Britain's attempts to influence US policy in recent years, "we typically ignore them and take no notice -- it's a sad business".
It's not just "recent years". It's the story of US/UK relations since WWII.
And for this the UK will go on snubbing Europe?
Politically it makes no sense at all. You can understand Thatcher and Reagan cosying up, because they were opportunists of a feather. But ten years ago the idea that Blair would ever have hitched his star to Bush's rickety wagon would have seemed ridiculous to most people.
We could use some clear-eyed realists in govt, not dewy-eyed romantics forever blind to the other's ills.
I find their pro-US syconphancy sickening. Not because I dislike the US : I dont. But because we are a european nation and this mooning across the atlantic makes us look pathetic. keep to the Fen Causeway
But I don't really know. Anyway, as a spanish citizen, you can vote in spain and I won't be able to even when I move there. I'm not surprised it works the other way too. keep to the Fen Causeway
These countries give you voting rights after a set period: Belgium Denmark Estonia Finland Ireland Lithuania Luxembourg Netherlands Slovenia Sweden
Local and regional you get to vote after living a certain time in Sweden, but for the national parliament citizenship is required. A vote for PES is a vote for EPP! A vote for EPP is a vote for PES! Support the coalition, vote EPP-PES in 2009!
Sir Menzies Campbell, the Liberal Democrat leader, said: "These remarks reflect a real sense of distaste among thinking Americans for Mr Blair's apparent slavish support for President Bush . . . The special relationship needs to be rebalanced, rethought and renewed."
