Special Relationship

Having spent years cringing at the unlikely coziness between Bush and Blair which produced one of the most toxic political partnerships of modern times and having consistently advocated a more independent view of British interests informing our foreign policy, I am very comfortable with the Cameron/Obama chemistry.

I think Obama understands our need to reduce borrowing. America’s overseas debt total is just over 90% of GDP, approximately the world average. Britain’s is 450% of GDP and the second highest in the world after the U.S.. Both men are very nervous that Afghanistan is not working out as the military and diplomats said it would and when the political patience snaps, they are likely to be at one. Both men share a dislike of Israel’s attitude to realistic terms of a Palestinian settlement. Both recognise the rise of China India and Brazil as economic powers and the need to move relations with Russia on to a more productive path.

Unfortunately they share a view of Iran which is misplaced and which continues to strengthen the hands of the hawks in that country. They probably see eye to eye on the oil spill, but domestic politics require the President to voice anger against the hapless BP and for Cameron to appeal for caution in attacking this seriously compromised corporation, whose survival is now in doubt.

However, taken in the round, the prospects for transatlantic relations look promising for all of us. This is the best team-up for some decades.