News: USA voted Britain's best friend in the world (schools, living in)

[ComeOnYouSpurs]

Originally Posted by JEB77

If the US is Britain's best friend, it's not clear that the feeling is mutual.

Listening to the BBC this AM and its ostensibly "even-handed" coverage of the elimination of Bin Laden. BBC made sure to find an American who would take the position on the air that, by eliminating Bin Laden, the US had demonstrated that it was "no better" than Bin Laden itself. I'm not sure what drives them to such lunacy, other than a latent and, at times, obvious anti-Americanism that's ultimately driven by a deep-seated resentment of Britain's decline and America's role on the world stage.

Yech. I think I'm swearing off the BBC entirely for a while.

Of course, still love Scotland.

The BBC is generally impartial and unbiased. Do not expect the same jingoistic, flag waving "America, yeah!" type reaction to Bin Laden's assassination as you'd see on American television as we are generally less patriotic, or patriotic in a different way.

If you don't like the BBC's coverage, don't watch it. You have plenty of other channels to choose from that would clearly suit your needs as a viewer a lot better.

[Mathguy]

The Brits and US have a remarkably close relationship that should be applauded in this era.

Seriously, if the chips were really down and either country really needed some help....who would you actually rely upon if doing so? France? Germany? Italy? Mexico?

We may not always see eye to eye but it's a rare relationship we have and I for one appreciate it.

[tom77falcons]

Originally Posted by Mathguy

The Brits and US have a remarkably close relationship that should be applauded in this era.

Seriously, if the chips were really down and either country really needed some help....who would you actually rely upon if doing so? France? Germany? Italy? Mexico?

We may not always see eye to eye but it's a rare relationship we have and I for one appreciate it.

Not always. The Brits blew us off during the Vietnam War. Aus sent troops, but Britain refused.

[rbryant]

Originally Posted by tom77falcons

Not always. The Brits blew us off during the Vietnam War. Aus sent troops, but Britain refused.

You can thank Harold Wilson for that. If I'm not mistaken he was a Labor politician that was very much against the Vietnam policy.
As for the last twenty years the Brits have been very supportive (Gulf War, Afghanistan, Iraqi Freedom).

[Oerdin]

Not surprising since they didn't have a dog in the fight and they were extremely busy with trying to divest themselves of their Empire with some semblance of grace.

[JD984]

Originally Posted by ComeOnYouSpurs

The BBC is generally impartial and unbiased. Do not expect the same jingoistic, flag waving "America, yeah!" type reaction to Bin Laden's assassination as you'd see on American television as we are generally less patriotic, or patriotic in a different way.

If you don't like the BBC's coverage, don't watch it. You have plenty of other channels to choose from that would clearly suit your needs as a viewer a lot better.

Wow; thanks for that keen analysis. I don't expect the BBC to serve as a cheerleader for U.S. interests, but neither am I deluded enough to call it "generally impartial and unbiased," either.

Overall, I'll likely return to the BBC in due course for the international coverage, but simply don't quite feel like listening to the passive-aggressive sniping right now. Had some of the current BBC types been around in the 1940s, I suppose we'd have been entertained with eulogies for Hitler after his own, well-deserved demise.

[Mag3.14]

Originally Posted by ComeOnYouSpurs

The BBC is generally impartial and unbiased. Do not expect the same jingoistic, flag waving "America, yeah!" type reaction to Bin Laden's assassination as you'd see on American television as we are generally less patriotic, or patriotic in a different way.

If you don't like the BBC's coverage, don't watch it. You have plenty of other channels to choose from that would clearly suit your needs as a viewer a lot better.

The 'flagwaving, America' reaction was only by a small proportion of Americans in New York and Pennsylvania. The BBC is far from impartial and unbiased - in fact its apathetic coverage is downright annoying. It's coverage of the royal wedding was nothing but gushing (so was it news or entertainment?). I had to switch to Al Jazeera for an actual honest and unbiased debate on the monarchy who's coverage put the BBC to shame

[Bobs]

Originally Posted by JEB77

If the US is Britain's best friend, it's not clear that the feeling is mutual.

Listening to the BBC this AM and its ostensibly "even-handed" coverage of the elimination of Bin Laden. BBC made sure to find an American who would take the position on the air that, by eliminating Bin Laden, the US had demonstrated that it was "no better" than Bin Laden itself. I'm not sure what drives them to such lunacy, other than a latent and, at times, obvious anti-Americanism that's ultimately driven by a deep-seated resentment of Britain's decline and America's role on the world stage.

Yech. I think I'm swearing off the BBC entirely for a while.

Of course, still love Scotland.

Its because the BBC has been left wing for a long time now, the British sky news is more right wing and supportive of American affairs.

[tom77falcons]

Originally Posted by ian6479

The 'flagwaving, America' reaction was only by a small proportion of Americans in New York and Pennsylvania. The BBC is far from impartial and unbiased - in fact its apathetic coverage is downright annoying. It's coverage of the royal wedding was nothing but gushing (so was it news or entertainment?). I had to switch to Al Jazeera for an actual honest and unbiased debate on the monarchy who's coverage put the BBC to shame

So true. The Brits can be just as jingoistic as Americans, but you will never have them admit it. During the Falklands war, after the sinking of an Argentine ship with loss of life, British people were calling phone numbers in Argentina and singing "Rule Britannia". And as far as the Royal Wedding, I could take no more of Piers Morgan blabbing about what heroes Harry and William are for being in the military and the overall tone of how much better a monarchy is over a republic.

[ben86]

Originally Posted by tom77falcons

So true. The Brits can be just as jingoistic as Americans, but you will never have them admit it. During the Falklands war, after the sinking of an Argentine ship with loss of life, British people were calling phone numbers in Argentina and singing "Rule Britannia". And as far as the Royal Wedding, I could take no more of Piers Morgan blabbing about what heroes Harry and William are for being in the military and the overall tone of how much better a monarchy is over a republic.

Really?! I've never heard of that! I wasn't alive at the time but I know a lot of people did get really into it and the Sun newspaper got stick for having a headline of 'Gotcha!' when the Belgrano was sunk. The word 'jingoistic' was actually invented in this country but the only time I've ever seen people get like that has been when something like the World Cup's been on, particularly when we've been playing somebody like Germany.

I'm glad we don't see much of Piers Morgan over here these days, vile, slimy creature that he is. So he's been going on about people in the military being heroes when he's famous for printing fake photos of British soldiers abusing Iraqi prisoners on the front page of a national newspaper he edited?

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