Time to wake up Britain
Over the last few days I've been following this Iraq Enquiry. It's worrying in one sense.
Over the last few decades you can scarcely get through a week (if you watch the news) without hearing an article mentioning the UK/US "Special Relationship". Well it seems it might be unravelling.
I guess it wouldn't be that surprising in a way. Relations between our two countries have not always been so amicable. But for the UK, very much the junior party in this relationship, it could be difficult if things soured now.
That is unless we get real and realise that we are not alone on this side of the Atlantic. Twenty two miles across a thin strip of sea lies France, Belgium, Germany, Holland, Italy, Luxembourg, Spain, Portugal, Austria, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Slovakia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Malta (ok more sea involved here), Cyprus (more sea again), Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, and going the other way Ireland.
It could soon grow - Croatia, Turkey and Macedonia as candidates for joining, Albania, Iceland and Montenegro having applied and Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Serbia all considered potential future candidates.
But it goes further. Switzerland, Norway and Liechtenstein are all closely allied with the EU as members of the European Free Trade Association. A number of countries in the Caucasus, which although geographically in western Asia are considered culturally European countries and so could in the medium term future apply to join the EU.
If we realise that our future lies not as trying to restore former glories, the greatness of Britain as a standalone superpower are longer ago than anyone still living can remember, but as part of a close alliance of independent nations - a continent wide unity.
Please let us come to our senses.
Over the last few decades you can scarcely get through a week (if you watch the news) without hearing an article mentioning the UK/US "Special Relationship". Well it seems it might be unravelling.
I guess it wouldn't be that surprising in a way. Relations between our two countries have not always been so amicable. But for the UK, very much the junior party in this relationship, it could be difficult if things soured now.
That is unless we get real and realise that we are not alone on this side of the Atlantic. Twenty two miles across a thin strip of sea lies France, Belgium, Germany, Holland, Italy, Luxembourg, Spain, Portugal, Austria, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Slovakia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Malta (ok more sea involved here), Cyprus (more sea again), Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, and going the other way Ireland.
It could soon grow - Croatia, Turkey and Macedonia as candidates for joining, Albania, Iceland and Montenegro having applied and Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Serbia all considered potential future candidates.
But it goes further. Switzerland, Norway and Liechtenstein are all closely allied with the EU as members of the European Free Trade Association. A number of countries in the Caucasus, which although geographically in western Asia are considered culturally European countries and so could in the medium term future apply to join the EU.
If we realise that our future lies not as trying to restore former glories, the greatness of Britain as a standalone superpower are longer ago than anyone still living can remember, but as part of a close alliance of independent nations - a continent wide unity.
Please let us come to our senses.
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