Britain:
The greatest ally to the United States?
or
A pet?
Greatest Ally or Lapdog?
Britain:
The greatest ally to the United States?
or
A pet?
"Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds." -Einstein
Originally Posted by Pannonian
Re: Greatest Ally or Lapdog?
Gah!
Although we can toe the US administration line a bit too much at times - we do have stark differences on certain issues, such as climate change, and we let that be known. So most definitely not a complete lapdog.
We are a strong ally to the US and I think almost all in the UK - even when there is a US administration in the white house we loath almost universally like there is at the moment - want and are grateful for that. Everyone in both countries benefits from the strong alliance and I also think it has proved good for both nations, I wouldn't want to see it broken. However, we do have other big allies, it isn't soley the US.
GARCIN: I "dreamt," you say. It was no dream. When I chose the hardest path, I made my choice deliberately. A man is what he wills himself to be.
INEZ: Prove it. Prove it was no dream. It's what one does, and nothing else, that shows the stuff one's made of.
GARCIN: I died too soon. I wasn't allowed time to - to do my deeds.
INEZ: One always dies too soon - or too late. And yet one's whole life is complete at that moment, with a line drawn neatly under it, ready for the summing up. You are - your life, and nothing else.
Jean Paul Sartre - No Exit 1944
Re: Greatest Ally or Lapdog?
is it tow or toe? it could be both
i think we are like brothers, along with the aussies, we might not agree with each other all the time, and like to bicker and argue, but when push comes to shove we basically value the same things, and have each other's back...
edit: gah!
Re: Greatest Ally or Lapdog?
To toe the line is perfectly fine english, it does not have to be spelt tow. :p
GARCIN: I "dreamt," you say. It was no dream. When I chose the hardest path, I made my choice deliberately. A man is what he wills himself to be.
INEZ: Prove it. Prove it was no dream. It's what one does, and nothing else, that shows the stuff one's made of.
GARCIN: I died too soon. I wasn't allowed time to - to do my deeds.
INEZ: One always dies too soon - or too late. And yet one's whole life is complete at that moment, with a line drawn neatly under it, ready for the summing up. You are - your life, and nothing else.
Jean Paul Sartre - No Exit 1944
Re: Greatest Ally or Lapdog?
I don't think Britain is a pet of the US. That role is taken by Canada.
Re: Greatest Ally or Lapdog?
UK is waiting for the opportunity to get the renegade colony back in line. Just wait to when the guard is down.....
Re: Greatest Ally or Lapdog?
Hardly!I don't think Britain is a pet of the US. That role is taken by Canada.
Britain is a strong country, even though they seem to be dismantling their military(), and definately not in America's pocket.
The Anglo-American alliance (which includes Australia and Canada) is a huge force for good in the world.
Re: Greatest Ally or Lapdog?
Its an Alliance most definetly. Same with Aus.
Viva La Rasa!!!
Re: Greatest Ally or Lapdog?
Woof Woof .
Re: Greatest Ally or Lapdog?
Living in the Caymans, it's always funny seeing an American and British person meet and talk for the first time... they seem to disagree on everything until they go to a pub or Cantina for a few drinks, you'd swear they were brothers with different accents. No matter where you come from, if you speak english and are drunk, everyone sounds about the same. I like the British as much as the Americans, both are good to hang around given in adequate portions.
Re: Greatest Ally or Lapdog?
Really it depends who's in power. Blair is quite the lapdog on most issues.
www.thechap.net
"We were not born into this world to be happy, but to do our duty." Bismarck
"You can't be a successful Dictator and design women's underclothing. One or the other. Not both." The Right Hon. Bertram Wilberforce Wooster
"Man, being reasonable, must get drunk; the best of life is but intoxication" - Lord Byron
"Where men are forbidden to honour a king they honour millionaires, athletes, or film-stars instead: even famous prostitutes or gangsters. For spiritual nature, like bodily nature, will be served; deny it food and it will gobble poison." - C. S. Lewis
Re: Greatest Ally or Lapdog?
Blair's a lapdog to Bush. The countries are allies.
Yes, Iraq is peaceful. Go to sleep now. - Adrian II
Re: Greatest Ally or Lapdog?
Wrong. It should be to 'tow' the line. What you wrote made no sense in English.To toe the line is perfectly fine english, it does not have to be spelt tow
It does seem at times as though the UK is in the wake of the US as she blunders around the world upsetting everyone. But as JAG said, it is a misconception. There are many areas that we dont agree on, hell just look at these boards.
We do have a lot in common. A shared history, a love of freedom and democracy and the English language. I believe that the English speaking world generally gets on well with each other, is that the same for Francophones and Spanish speakers?
There are times I wish they’d just ban everything- baccy and beer, burgers and bangers, and all the rest- once and for all. Instead, they creep forward one apparently tiny step at a time. It’s like being executed with a bacon slicer.
“Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it whether it exists or not, diagnosing it incorrectly, and applying the wrong remedy.”
To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticise.
"The purpose of a university education for Left / Liberals is to attain all the politically correct attitudes towards minorties, and the financial means to live as far away from them as possible."
Re: Greatest Ally or Lapdog?
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=toe%23toe the line/mark
1. To adhere to doctrines or rules conscientiously; conform.
Perfect English....
Last edited by JAG; 06-25-2005 at 15:16.
GARCIN: I "dreamt," you say. It was no dream. When I chose the hardest path, I made my choice deliberately. A man is what he wills himself to be.
INEZ: Prove it. Prove it was no dream. It's what one does, and nothing else, that shows the stuff one's made of.
GARCIN: I died too soon. I wasn't allowed time to - to do my deeds.
INEZ: One always dies too soon - or too late. And yet one's whole life is complete at that moment, with a line drawn neatly under it, ready for the summing up. You are - your life, and nothing else.
Jean Paul Sartre - No Exit 1944
Re: Greatest Ally or Lapdog?
JAG wins this one:
http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-toe2.htm
It is 'toe the line', as in meet expectations, perform to standard. To 'tow the line' would imply pulling a rope, presumably to move a load affixed to the opposite end of said rope. Interesting imagery, but not the intent of the spoken phrase.
Be well. Do good. Keep in touch.
Re: Greatest Ally or Lapdog?
I think Britain knows that America is and always will be our most important ally.
www.thechap.net
"We were not born into this world to be happy, but to do our duty." Bismarck
"You can't be a successful Dictator and design women's underclothing. One or the other. Not both." The Right Hon. Bertram Wilberforce Wooster
"Man, being reasonable, must get drunk; the best of life is but intoxication" - Lord Byron
"Where men are forbidden to honour a king they honour millionaires, athletes, or film-stars instead: even famous prostitutes or gangsters. For spiritual nature, like bodily nature, will be served; deny it food and it will gobble poison." - C. S. Lewis
Re: Greatest Ally or Lapdog?
Britain can choose between two Alliances: France-Germany or USA.
But they don't recognise that by their lingual based favor for America, which makes them defacto Pets by volunteer.
Re: Greatest Ally or Lapdog?
If only to ensure that there are some places that don't use the metric system exclusively.
As the creeper that girdles the tree-trunk the Law runneth forward and back, For the strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack.
- Rudyard Kipling
Re: Greatest Ally or Lapdog?
Arguably the UK's two favorite nations.France-Germany
Re: Greatest Ally or Lapdog?
is it possibly that "Tow the line" is a corruption of the original phrase - even thought it makes more sense in the colloquial?
"That rifle hanging on the wall of the working-class flat or labourer's cottage is the symbol of democracy. It is our job to see that it stays there."
-Eric "George Orwell" Blair
"If the policy of the government, upon vital questions affecting the whole people, is to be irrevocably fixed by decisions of the Supreme Court...the people will have ceased to be their own rulers, having to that extent practically resigned the government into the hands of that eminent tribunal."
(Lincoln's First Inaugural Address, 1861).
ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ
Re: Greatest Ally or Lapdog?
Heres another proof that JAG was correct.
I voted ally, reasons have already been mentioned.
Re: Greatest Ally or Lapdog?
A mix, after WWII the British PM Macmillan iirc chose to remain powerful by becoming close to the US. The UK became a mix of US pawn on certain issues and advisor on others. Though they still cannot take unilateral action for the most part they still have the power to influence American policy, so a mix of ally and lap dog.
"A man's dying is more his survivor's affair than his own."
C.S. Lewis
"So many people tiptoe through life, so carefully, to arrive, safely, at death."
Jermaine Evans
Re: Greatest Ally or Lapdog?
Well it seems I know my English grammar!
GARCIN: I "dreamt," you say. It was no dream. When I chose the hardest path, I made my choice deliberately. A man is what he wills himself to be.
INEZ: Prove it. Prove it was no dream. It's what one does, and nothing else, that shows the stuff one's made of.
GARCIN: I died too soon. I wasn't allowed time to - to do my deeds.
INEZ: One always dies too soon - or too late. And yet one's whole life is complete at that moment, with a line drawn neatly under it, ready for the summing up. You are - your life, and nothing else.
Jean Paul Sartre - No Exit 1944
Re: Greatest Ally or Lapdog?
Obviously more than I. I stand corrected.Well it seems I know my English grammar!
There are times I wish they’d just ban everything- baccy and beer, burgers and bangers, and all the rest- once and for all. Instead, they creep forward one apparently tiny step at a time. It’s like being executed with a bacon slicer.
“Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it whether it exists or not, diagnosing it incorrectly, and applying the wrong remedy.”
To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticise.
"The purpose of a university education for Left / Liberals is to attain all the politically correct attitudes towards minorties, and the financial means to live as far away from them as possible."
Re: Greatest Ally or Lapdog?
And I'm sure she makes excellent Yorkshire Pudding.Well it seems I know my English grammar!
Be well. Do good. Keep in touch.
Re: Greatest Ally or Lapdog?
Now your talking KuKrikhan...
Now we have onion filled gavy Yorkshire puds.
Beef in black bean sauce Yorkshire puds.
Rogan Josh Yorkshire puds.
Chilli and Coriander Yorkshire puds.
Stilton Cheese with chicken Yorkshire puds.
...................................................................
Now you have to try the 'Black'* puddings
*made from pigs blood and may i say delicious
I shall come onto tripe (ooohhh missus) another time
There are times I wish they’d just ban everything- baccy and beer, burgers and bangers, and all the rest- once and for all. Instead, they creep forward one apparently tiny step at a time. It’s like being executed with a bacon slicer.
“Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it whether it exists or not, diagnosing it incorrectly, and applying the wrong remedy.”
To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticise.
"The purpose of a university education for Left / Liberals is to attain all the politically correct attitudes towards minorties, and the financial means to live as far away from them as possible."
Re: Greatest Ally or Lapdog?
I shall come onto tripe (ooohhh missus) another time
Tripe ? With onions ? oh you sophisticated young devil .
Lambs tails , thats the thing , who needs a kebab when theres a bucket of greasy crap simmering on the stove
Now you have to try the 'Black'* puddings
Yes but its a bugger of a job holding the bucket (especially if the pigs still kicking like hell) , and its even worse rinsing the intestines , and all that before you chop and salt it . Still its worth it when you finsh and fry the greaskins at the end of the day , fresh is the only way to have it .
Re: Greatest Ally or Lapdog?
One word. Basra.
Woof woof.
"The only thing I've gotten out of this thread is that Navaros is claiming that Satan gave Man meat. Awesome." Gorebag
Re: Greatest Ally or Lapdog?
Pet.
AFAIK I havent seen anything in American press or anything about Britain's involvement in Iraq. Have any Yanks seen much about it?
"A man may fight for many things: his country, his principles, his friends, the glistening tear on the cheek of a golden child. But personally, I'd mudwrestle my own mother for a ton of cash, an amusing clock and a stack of French porn."
- Edmund Blackadder
Re: Greatest Ally or Lapdog?
From this American,
I am stunned by Britain's relationship with the U.S.
When most of Europe has turned their backs on us, Britain stands by our side. I consider the British to be true friends in this world. If it came down to it, I would give my life for a Brit just as I would one of my own countrymen. When the British are spoken of by those in my little sphere of influence, it is always with respect and esteem. My thanks. Our thanks.
Divinus Arma
"Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds." -Einstein
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks