Wot No Screaming About Cameron's Gaffe?

[Russ]

Won't any British statesperson or institution ever have the testicular fortitude to stand up to America? This is so frustrating.

[Peter_]

Originally Posted by Xaccers

Again, he didn't say "we were a junior partner to the US in war" he said we were a junior partner to the US while we were at war.
It's like saying the mujahideen in Afghanistan in the 80's weren't partners of the US because the US wasn't at war with the Soviet Union.

I fail to see how we could be a junior partner in a war that the US did its best not to be involved in until 7th December 1941.

---------- Post added at 23:15 ---------- Previous post was at 23:14 ----------

Originally Posted by Russ

Won't any British statesperson or institution ever have the testicular fortitude to stand up to America? This is so frustrating.

No they would rather bend over and kiss butt.

[Mr Angry]

Miliband (self appointed history revisionist that he is), in an entirely transparent attempt to capitalize on Camerons "gaffe", shows he knows just as little.

From the BBC;

Mr Miliband said Mr Cameron's comments had been misguided.
"1940 was our finest hour," he said. "Millions of Britons stood up and gave their lives to defeat fascism.
"We were not a junior partner. We stood alone against the Nazis. How can a British prime minister who bangs on about British history get that so wrong?

The fact of the matter is that by 1940 Canada, France, Australia and New Zealand had all declared war on the Nazis.

Britain was certainly not alone.

[Xaccers]

Originally Posted by Masque

I fail to see how we could be a junior partner in a war that the US did its best not to be involved in until 7th December 1941.

Again, he didn't say we were a junior partner in a war, he said while we were fighting a war, with regards to the partnership with the US we were the junior member.

Take the Suez war, with the UK/US partnership we were demonstrably the junior partner. The US weren't involved, but they made it clear we'd be screwed if we didn't stop what we were doing.

[Maggy J]

From that BBC link.

David Cameron has slipped up by mistakenly saying that the UK was the "junior partner" in the allied fight against Germany in 1940.
He made the historical slip, neglecting the fact that the US had yet to enter the war, on the second day of his first trip to the US as prime minister.

[Xaccers]

Originally Posted by Maggy J

From that BBC link.

Originally Posted by Cameron talking about the special relationship between the UK and the US

"I think it is important in life to speak as it is and the fact is that we are a very effective partner of the US but we are the junior partner," he said.

"We were the junior partner in 1940 when we were fighting the Nazis."

Notice how what he says and what Aunty claims he said don't actually match up.

[Maggy J]

Well,unless we find a video link about his speech I guess we won't ever really know.

[Mr Angry]

Originally Posted by Maggy J

Well,unless we find a video link about his speech I guess we won't ever really know.

Happy to oblige.

Seconds 18 - 22 specifically.

[Russ]

What he actually seems to mean is we always had a special relationship with the US where we were the junior partner. And within the timeframe of this relationship we were involved in WW2.

Of course, I'm sure Cameron knew exactly how his comments would come across. Anything to show the Americans we'll always be "jolly good sports" and leave them have all the power and glory.

[Damien]

Originally Posted by Russ

Won't any British statesperson or institution ever have the testicular fortitude to stand up to America? This is so frustrating.

Stand up to what? He isn't allowing the release of the Bomber to be subject to a inquiry, which the sole intention was to help destroy BP for the benefit of American Oil companies? McKinnon might be able to see a trail here.

That seems ok to me. He needs to he diplomatic, sticking two fingers up at them publically would be foolish.

---------- Post added at 09:02 ---------- Previous post was at 08:56 ----------

Originally Posted by Xaccers

Notice how what he says and what Aunty claims he said don't actually match up.

He did refer to it as the Special Relationship in that video. A lot of other media outlets also refer to it in that manor.

As for the 'Gaffe' he was in error with the dates but otherwise I would say it was a more equal partnership from the time America entered the war. Were their not more American troops than British on D-Day and the chief commander was American?

[Osem]

Originally Posted by Masque

The Battle of Britain was fought during the summer and autumn of 1940 and the United States played no part in that whatsoever, and they only declared war on the AXIS powers after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour on the morning of December 7, 1941.

Up to this point in time we had been at war for over 2 years, I would call it idiotic and insulting to the men and women of this country and the commonwealth who were at war with Germany at that time.

As I said another UK prime minister who is all to easily able to fall in line with US policy and kiss butt.

Yes I know the history and yes it will be taken as an insult by some, if not many. I don't, however, believe this was a deliberate attempt by Cameron to kiss anyone's arse at the expense of those who died before or after the US became directly involved in the fighting. It was a very unfortunate slip up with a date and none of us are immune from them as George Bush and Gordon Brown (amongst many others) will testify...

[Peter_]

Originally Posted by Osem

Yes I know the history and yes it will be taken as an insult. I don't, however, believe this was a deliberate attempt by Cameron to kiss anyone's arse at the expense of those who died before or after the US became directly involved in the fighting. It was a very unfortunate slip up and none of us are immune from them as George Bush and Gordon Brown (amongst many others) will testify...

Every UK prime minister has kissed American butt in recent times including Thatcher.

[Osem]

Originally Posted by Masque

Every UK prime minister has kissed American butt in recent times including Thatcher.

Yes they probably have but that doesn't make this incident another premeditated example. If that were Cameron's objective there are many easier ways he could have done it without causing an undesireable outcry at home.

[Xaccers]

Originally Posted by Damien

He did refer to it as the Special Relationship in that video. A lot of other media outlets also refer to it in that manor.

As for the 'Gaffe' he was in error with the dates but otherwise I would say it was a more equal partnership from the time America entered the war. Were their not more American troops than British on D-Day and the chief commander was American?

The gaffe is the media (including the beeb) trying to make out that he made a gaffe by suggesting he was talking about the fighting when he was talking about the relationship.

[Hugh]

Originally Posted by Mr Angry

It's been a day for gaffes.

Earlier we heard Clegg make reference to the illegal invasion of Iraq.

The ambulance-chasers will be coming out of the woodwork on that one.