Throwing a Monkey Wrench into US-UK ‘Special Relationship’

The publication of excerpts of secret cables containing vicious attacks against President Donald Trump from British Ambassador to the United States Kim Darroch to the British Foreign Office has really thrown a monkey wrench into the much-touted Anglo-American "special relationship."

In the cables, which were leaked to the British "Mail on Sunday" newspaper, Darroch said the White House was "uniquely dysfunctional" and that the president's career could "end in disgrace." He also said the president's life had been "mired in scandal" and called Trump "inept" and "incompetent."

Darroch also described Trump's calling off an air-strike on Iran because of expected casualties as a move that was solely motivated by mundane political considerations. Trump was not slow in responding to this vicious attack, tweeting "We will no longer deal with him."

This is not the first time that Trump has had it with the "bloody British." The origins of "Russiagate" also had a clear British origin, with the "leaks" of former MI6 operative Christopher Steele laying the basis for the propaganda "blitz" that had been conducted on that matter in the US media.

Attorney General William Barr is now investigating the origins of that whole operation, including the role of Steele in his collaboration with elements of the Democratic National Committee and the FBI.

This could unroll a number of covert operations that the British would prefer kept out of the limelight. Darroch also personally played into the "Russiagate" operation with his comments to the foreign office that the Trump administration was indebted to "dodgy Russians."

There is no doubt that Darroch's days in Washington are numbered, but he will no doubt retain a major position in Whitehall for his "loyal and distinguished service" to “Her Majesty's Government”.

What has been exposed here is not simply a foible by some "rogue diplomat" but reflects the old attitude of the "British Empire" school. For no matter how much they will laud their "special relationship" with the United States, the Brits tend to regard "Yanks" as something of a junior player in a relationship that has often been viewed by them as "British brains and Yankee brawn."

For all the finesse and affability shown in British diplomacy, the old overbearing haughtiness of the "British Empire" often breaks through, lurking silently under the surface of ole'John Bull.

Britain maintains a major political influence in the world largely through its "special relationship" with the United States. And if this "relationship" is no more important than the US relationship with China or Russia, or Germany or France for that matter, this is something the British have a hard time swallowing. The relationship has certainly been cast into doubt by Trump.

While Trump continues to claim he will work with the British under "new management," it is clear that the days of Britain pulling the "Yankee brawn" into new foreign adventures are pretty much at an end. The best that they can hope for is a good working relationship with a president, who has equally important, if not more important, relations with other countries other than his "English cousins."

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