I apologise if you interpreted my comments as trying to lay a guilt trip on you. That was not my intention. My point was this: it doesn’t matter what a bunch of people on the internet write. You should not believe that internet ranters represent the UK. Look at this website. This is supposed to be for intelligent grown -up debate and there are ridiculous levels of anti-UK sentiment on here. Just try this: Look for positive articles about the UK. You’ll get one or two replies from people on those threads (often anti-British). Look for anti-Brit articles and you find threads like this one. I see similar trends on other US sites. Should I take this to mean that all the US does is whinge and moan and criticise its allies? I don’t, as this all represents a trend. Most internet users are of the younger generation and, as such, tend to engage in flag-waving jingoism when sitting behind a computer screen.I am sorry that you were treated badly with regards to your supportive comments for the British sailors. I, as a Brit, appreciate them very much. I have been subjected to a great deal of rudeness on US websites also. However, I have been to the US and have loved its people and culture. If I were to base my image of your country on my internet experience then I wouldn’t go within a thousand miles of the US. I hope you see my point.
Meanwhile, real-world Brits re-elected the pro-US/War on Terror Labour Party of Tony Blair. The US national anthemn was played at Buckingham Palace after 9/11 (an unprecedented event). The last night of the British Proms was a solemn affair that year too in respect of the tragedy that had befallen our US friends. Many tributes were made at the US embassy in London. The UK still has troops fighting and dying in Iraq and Afghanistan. To suggest that Britain is not a friend of the US in this regard is, I believe, profoundly unfair. If the UK doesn’t count as a friend to the US, then what other country in the world can qualify for that title?
I appreciate your frustrations. However, I hope that my post can go some small way to show that the UK is a friend to the US.
uk,
I appreciate you taking the time, and making the effort to answer my post with such a thoughtful response. I disagree, however, with the idea that we should descard what people say on the internet, though, as I believe people are at their most honest when they can do so anonymously.
Thank you again, and I should mention that Americans were very grateful for the support that we received right after 911.