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Obama's priorities switch from Britain into Europe
Nicholas Cecil, Chief Political Correspondent6 Jan 2009
SENIOR British diplomats believe Barack Obama will build closer ties with Berlin and Paris in an evolving world order.
However, they are urging ministers not to be rattled by the president-elect seeking closer links with other European countries.
They even argue that the "special relationship" between Britain and America could be enhanced by Washington having stronger links with other EU capitals.
Mr Obama is due to be inaugurated on 20 January and Gordon Brown, French president Nicolas Sarkozy and German chancellor Angela Merkel will be vying for the first meeting with him.
British diplomats are warning that the UK needs to be "grown up" and not over-sensitive about Washington shifting the focus of its foreign policy towards other countries and in particular the Franco-German axis which is at the heart of Europe.
They believe that the bond between Britain and the US is strong enough to withstand such developments in international diplomacy. Critics, though, would argue that they are putting a gloss on a looming loss of influence.
Mr Obama, whose grandfather was jailed and tortured by the British in Kenya during the country's fight for independence, does not have the same emotional ties to Britain as his predecessors.
Bill Clinton went to Oxford University and George Bush had a bust of Winston Churchill in the White House. Mr Obama also chose Berlin, not London, for his keynote speech on his tour of Europe as presidential candidate last year.
He will also seek to distance himself from the Bush era of foreign policy. "The UK is part of the Bush baggage because of Iraq," a senior Foreign Office source told The Times. "Obama is not going to be emotional about the transatlantic alliance. He's a free-thinking politician, driven by science and facts." He added: "The UK and Europe look less significant than Asia and Latin America and even over here Europe seems a better focus than the UK."
A memo by Britain's ambassador to Washington, Sir Nigel Sheinwald, may also have riled Mr Obama and his entourage. It described him as sometimes "aloof" and without the track record of his predecessors.
Mr Brown will be keen to work closely with Mr Obama on a global economic recovery plan, with the Prime Minister hosting a G20 meeting of world leaders in London in the spring.
But even over the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts, Britain's relationship with America has suffered strains with some senior US military commanders questioning the success of UK-led operations.
"The US generals think the Brits need to be taken down a peg or two, that we have not performed well in Basra and Helmand province, and that has trickled up to the Pentagon," said one Foreign Office source.
"It's not terminal but it's an important warning to us that if we are going to trade on our military partnership we are going to have to raise our game."
Reader views (8)
Hardly surprising given that Briatin has been all but destroyed by 11 years of NeuLiebour rule.
- Keith Lonsdale, Doncaster, 06/01/2009 23:59
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"SENIOR British diplomats believe Barack Obama will build closer ties with Berlin and Paris in an evolving world order."
No doubt he will walk on water to go and visit them too? The man is a politician, not the second coming of Christ, for goodness sakes. He's the first US president who is not a white guy - so what? He's a politician (and a left wing one at that) - so enough with the superstar hype, ok? Get him believing he can get away with anything because of the over the top praise this untested president is getting and he'll do what all politicians do. He'll believe he can do anything he likes (sound familiar Britain?)
- Rogan, Irving, 06/01/2009 22:30
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Great the Americans can now ask for French and Germans for their troops and switch the American bases to France as well. The British taxpayer will be able to save money to be spent in Britain.
- Maggie, London, 06/01/2009 22:06
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A Poeam for Mr Obama.
It's easy to forget old and loyal friends when you're riding the wave of popularity.
New pals seem great as you bask in their praise.
A wise man remembers his comrades who were there for him in their darkest hours as well as their salad days.
- Paul, Bromley, Kent, 06/01/2009 19:45
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no surprise really given the mess that Blair got us into both at home and Globally. Still Bush & Blair seem ignorant right up until the end with there back patting and self worship. It is about time that the UK woke up to the fact that we are sliding down the ranks in every aspect on the global stage. We should of stuck our fingers up to the US wars on terror right from the start!
- Fly, london, 06/01/2009 14:05
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Thanks Heavens! Three cheers!!! How brilliant to think we will not have to be up America's a*se. We can regain our sense of independence knowing that we will not necessarily have to fall into line behind them. Let's hope we tell them to clean up their own mess as well. Britain seems to be the only country willing to take on prisoners from Guantanamo at the US's request. Tell then No! No! No!
- Jilly, London, 06/01/2009 13:15
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'British diplomats are warning that the UK needs to be "grown up" ...'
I assume they are talking to the media and not patronising the people of this country. We do not have a special relationship with the US and haven't done so for some considerable time.
It is time to regain some self respect and stand on our own two feet. Not be seen as a side kick to a petulant country like the States.
- Frank, Home Counties, England., 06/01/2009 12:36
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Who can blame him or the USA government.Let’s be honest with ourselves, as a military force we are spent and that means we are no longer a world force to be reckoned with. We are slipping further and further down the league tables because of government ineptness; they spend money on absolute trash and line their own pockets. We are producing very little except criminals and third rate celebrities; in fact we cannot even build the very power stations we need to sustain ourselves. Corruption is rife from banking to parliament and that big dustbin called Europe is bleeding us dry, with just a few people making a very good living from it at everybody else’s expense. Either way you look at it we are screwed.
- Stephend, London, England, 06/01/2009 12:18
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