U.S. needs to pay attention to relationship with Britain, Tillerson says

By William James

 

 

LONDON (Reuters) - The United States needs to pay attention to its treasured relationship with Britain, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Monday just days after Donald Trump cancelled a trip to London citing anger at the sale of an embassy.

 

Trump's cancellation of his trip has raised questions in Britain over the links between Washington and its closest traditional ally in Europe -- widely called the "special relationship".

 

More than a year into his presidency, Trump has yet to visit London and many British voters have promised to protest against a man they see as crude, volatile and opposed to their values on a range of issues.

 

Tillerson, a former Exxon Mobil CEO, met British Prime Minister Theresa May in her Downing Street residence and then held talks with Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson.

 

"We treasure this relationship, and I treasure Boris's relationship with me personally and the work that we do together on these many issues," Tillerson told reporters.

 

"Sometimes we forget about the importance of our own relationship," he said. "We need to pay attention to that relationship and the importance of this relationship on a bilateral basis as well."

 

A pillar of Britain's foreign policy for a century, the special relationship with Washington has taken on added importance as Britain prepares to leave the European Union in 2019.

 

May and Tillerson discussed "continuing depth and breadth" of the special relationship, May's office said.

 

They also touched on one of their most pressing diplomatic challenges: disagreement over the future of a landmark international deal to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions. The deal has been cast into doubt by Trump, but Britain, along with France and Germany, wants to keep it.

 

TREASURED RELATIONSHIP?

 

May was the first foreign leader to visit Trump after his inauguration in January last year, and they were filmed emerging from the White House holding hands. She later said Trump took her hand in a gentlemanly gesture as they walked down a ramp.

 

But British officials have been dismayed by some of Trump's pronouncements, particularly a proposed ban on Muslims entering the United States and most recently when Trump rebuked May on Twitter after she criticised him for retweeting British far-right anti-Islam videos.

 

During May's U.S. trip a year ago, she extended an invitation to Trump to make a formal state visit - which includes pomp, pageantry and a banquet with Queen Elizabeth. The invitation was accepted, but no date for the visit has been set.

 

While in London, Tillerson visited the new $1 billion (£719 million) U.S. embassy. Trump earlier this month criticised the move to new diplomatic premises as part of a bad deal agreed by the administration of Barack Obama.

 

Trump cancelled a trip to London to open the new embassy, saying he did not want to endorse a bad deal agreed by the Obama administration to sell the old one for "peanuts".

 

Tillerson was greeted by U.S. Ambassador Woody Johnson as workers finished planting shrubs in the grounds of the new embassy. America's top diplomat then met some of the marines who are stationed at the embassy.

 

"The embassy actually, is gonna really work," Johnson said.

 

Asked when there would be a ribbon cutting ceremony, Ambassador Johnson said: "At some point we're going to do it, but there's no urgency to that. We'll do it when the time is right."

 

(Editing by Guy Faulconbridge)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-1-23

Doesn't need to be Yanks although I think they prefer to be known as Americans these days.  Europe gets the same treatment and North Korea as well as the British government, the Irish, Scots etc.  And don't forget the loony left or right wing fascists.

 

I think you will find though it isn't as much American bashing as Trump bashing and there is certainly plenty to go at there!

Talking of Trump and his not coming to the UK anytime soon.  Is anyone else gobsmacked that he is going to Davos?  Surely his idea of hell on earth

An off-topic post has been reported and removed.  

America has 800 military bases world wide. of these 200 are in Britain.

Britain leases trident missiles from America which it carries in its vanguard submarines.

France has the M4 missile which is similar to the trident missile 'cos America helped France to design it.

the difference is that France owns the M4 missile.

so the solution is for Britain to build its own missiles. it already builds its own atomic bombs and submarines.

that is assuming that Britain needs to have atomic bombs.

then Britain could respectfully ask America to remove its 200 military bases.

this will never happen 'cos America never withdraws from a country once it is established.

the special relationship is very one sided and causes a lot of grief to Britain

particularly Britain's involvement in all of the many small American wars like Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria.

this involvement causes terrorist retaliation on the streets of Britain.

end of rant.

 

 

The US needs to pay attention to it's relationship with all it's allies. 

 

Trump has gone out of his way to offend  Americas  allies.  "the coalition of the willing" will be a party of one next time

 

 

7 minutes ago, jobsworth said:

America has 800 military bases world wide. of these 200 are in Britain.

Britain leases trident missiles from America which it carries in its vanguard submarines.

France has the M4 missile which is similar to the trident missile 'cos America helped France to design it.

the difference is that France owns the M4 missile.

so the solution is for Britain to build its own missiles. it already builds its own atomic bombs and submarines.

that is assuming that Britain needs to have atomic bombs.

then Britain could respectfully ask America to remove its 200 military bases.

this will never happen 'cos America never withdraws from a country once it is established.

the special relationship is very one sided and causes a lot of grief to Britain

particularly Britain's involvement in all of the many small American wars like Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria.

this involvement causes terrorist retaliation on the streets of Britain.

end of rant.

 

 

US has 200 military bases in the UK?

 

You need to provide some evidence of that.

Yeah support Britain for sending Nigel Farage to the US to elect Trump( anybody rememeber this? I saw it on the illustrious Skynews when I lived in Thailand). Both royal families and their conspirators can all go to hades!

 

3 hours ago, jobsworth said:

America has 800 military bases world wide. of these 200 are in Britain.

Britain leases trident missiles from America which it carries in its vanguard submarines.

France has the M4 missile which is similar to the trident missile 'cos America helped France to design it.

the difference is that France owns the M4 missile.

so the solution is for Britain to build its own missiles. it already builds its own atomic bombs and submarines.

that is assuming that Britain needs to have atomic bombs.

then Britain could respectfully ask America to remove its 200 military bases.

this will never happen 'cos America never withdraws from a country once it is established.

the special relationship is very one sided and causes a lot of grief to Britain

particularly Britain's involvement in all of the many small American wars like Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria.

this involvement causes terrorist retaliation on the streets of Britain.

end of rant.

 

 

 

There are only about 5 US bases in the UK.

 

Unless there are another 195 "black sites" you know about?

11 hours ago, dunroaming said:

Is anyone else gobsmacked that he is going to Davos?  Surely his idea of hell on earth

 He's not gettin' any love at home (from Melania) so time to hit the road for some "grabbing", searching for Wife IV, Melania has decided not to accompany him on the trip.

 

Surely it's Wayne Tracker's job to pay attention to the relationship with the U.K.?

 

 

May, 2021: The British Prime Minister meets with the US President

Haha, Boris, never. Rex outsider but possible. He has turned out to be one of Trump's better appointments. Cannot think of any others who have achieved anything beyond getting fired quickly.

So, Britains are opposed to America's muslim bans huh? Maybe because their open door policy and kowtowing to their EU bosses has worked out so well? 

They sure weren't open to forced immigration in 1940 and they ran their own country then too. Which policy seems to have worked best? They've got a German dictating policy and a muslim in charge of their capital. Maybe a deeper glance inside before casting stones would be in order.

US has 200 military bases in the UK?
 
You need to provide some evidence of that.

They're jolly good at camouflage...

Sent from my KENNY using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

On ‎1‎/‎23‎/‎2018 at 11:02 PM, jobsworth said:

America has 800 military bases world wide. of these 200 are in Britain.

Britain leases trident missiles from America which it carries in its vanguard submarines.

France has the M4 missile which is similar to the trident missile 'cos America helped France to design it.

the difference is that France owns the M4 missile.

so the solution is for Britain to build its own missiles. it already builds its own atomic bombs and submarines.

that is assuming that Britain needs to have atomic bombs.

then Britain could respectfully ask America to remove its 200 military bases.

this will never happen 'cos America never withdraws from a country once it is established.

the special relationship is very one sided and causes a lot of grief to Britain

particularly Britain's involvement in all of the many small American wars like Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria.

this involvement causes terrorist retaliation on the streets of Britain.

end of rant.

 

 

555555555555555555555555555

You think just owning its own nukes will protect Britain?

The British military has been gutted by the politicians to the extent the navy is virtually impotent, and they still want to gut it further.

If the brown stuff actually hits the fan, the only hope Britain has of survival is the US.

The quality of the other countries of Nato military forces has been well proven in Rawanda and the dissolving Yugoslavia, when they stood back and did nothing while one side slaughtered the other.

 

At the moment they couldn't even repeat Thatcher's rescue of the Falklands, No ACCs and even if HMS Q E was seaworthy, it doesn't have any planes. Is that a military capable of defending Britain?

Without the US, Britain might as well just print up some big "we surrender" signs. 

On ‎1‎/‎23‎/‎2018 at 11:11 PM, isaanbanhou said:

The US needs to pay attention to it's relationship with all it's allies. 

 

Trump has gone out of his way to offend  Americas  allies.  "the coalition of the willing" will be a party of one next time

 

 

55555555555555555555555555

Those "allies" need the US a whole lot more than the US needs them.

"us-needs-to-pay-attention-to-relationship-with-britain-tillerson-says"

 

Brilliant.  Next Tillerson will espouse pearls of wisdom like, 'Don't trip and fall down stairs' and 'Wash your hands after wiping your ass.'

10 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

55555555555555555555555555

Those "allies" need the US a whole lot more than the US needs them.

 

It must be awesome being so cool you don t need friends. 

 

But then some people play well with others and some just play with themselves

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Without the US, Britain might as well just print up some big "we surrender" signs. 

Wouldn't that make them French? 

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

555555555555555555555555555

You think just owning its own nukes will protect Britain?

The British military has been gutted by the politicians to the extent the navy is virtually impotent, and they still want to gut it further.

If the brown stuff actually hits the fan, the only hope Britain has of survival is the US.

The quality of the other countries of Nato military forces has been well proven in Rawanda and the dissolving Yugoslavia, when they stood back and did nothing while one side slaughtered the other.

 

At the moment they couldn't even repeat Thatcher's rescue of the Falklands, No ACCs and even if HMS Q E was seaworthy, it doesn't have any planes. Is that a military capable of defending Britain?

Without the US, Britain might as well just print up some big "we surrender" signs. 

 

 

Arrogance and Ignorance,   what a pleasant combination.

 

Between 2002 and 2011,  158 Canadian military personel were killed in Afganistan.  Perhaps you would have the courage to knock on their families door and tell them their son / daughter died as allies to an ungratefull nation.

 

You obviously didn t serve your nation.   keyborad warrior

 

 

3 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

55555555555555555555555555

Those "allies" need the US a whole lot more than the US needs them.

Yawn. Typical American BS Well, thankfully they're not all as daft as you

The U.S. has closed bases in Panama, Thailand, Philippines, Taiwan,  and more. True Thailand was ready for them to leave, but the U.S. was not going to renew the leases either way. Same in the Philippines and Taiwan. Don't forget. Panama Canal Zone and Okinawa were U.S. territories the United States gave back.

It was a Brit (Steele) who took it upon himself to inform the FBI of some nefarious dealings between Republicans and Russians - which could wind up hurting the USA.  Thanks Steele, for being a better friend to Americans than any Republican congressperson.

 

.....and for garnering better intel, by yourself and your few non-paid contacts, than multi-billion dollar FBI and CIA and NSA combined.

7 hours ago, PhonThong said:

The U.S. has closed bases in Panama, Thailand, Philippines, Taiwan,  and more. True Thailand was ready for them to leave, but the U.S. was not going to renew the leases either way. Same in the Philippines and Taiwan. Don't forget. Panama Canal Zone and Okinawa were U.S. territories the United States gave back.

 

AT THE end of July the United States army announced plans to hand back 15 square miles (40 square km) of land on Okinawa to the Japanese government. This will be the biggest land return in the island, home to almost 30,000 American troops, since the United States’ formal occupation ended in 1972. The decision follows the rape and murder of a local woman and big anti-American protests in June.

 

 

The US 'rape of Okinawa' continues

Okinawa - The alleged rape of an Okinawan woman by two American sailors is but the latest in a string of literally thousands of crimes committed by US troops on the small Japanese islands over the past seven decades.  Since the United States handed control of Okinawa back to Japan in 1972 there have been 25 murders, 127 rapes, 306 assaults, 25 arsons, 385 burglaries and 2,827 thefts by US troops. 

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/335027#ixzz55D3cP5RE

Okinawa was probaly not a good example to use

Please stay on the topic of US-British relationships.