On air at 1100GMT: Is the US UK relationship essential?

No?
It feels like the UK is trying to hold on to as much power as possible. Now that the empire has gone, and not to long ago. It's like we still want to be a leading super power so we are siding with the US.
A lot of Americans supported the war after 9/11 how many British citizens did? We support our troops, we respect them and thank them as much as possible for their sacrifice. But how many parents of dead soldiers are glad they died in a war that was nothing to do with us?
Thbis relationship with the US is dangerous, we're going to get dragged into more and more stuff we don't have the power or fire power to deal with anymore, as America continues to attempt to police the world.

The UK-US relationship was once essential but not any more; and it was once special but not any more. The US have been causing more problems in the world and successive British governments have been giving them a hand. With American foreign policy riddled with so much hypocrisy and double standards,Britain should work with the Americans only on an issue by issue basis. That means to support them when their position on a particular issue is right and acceptable; and stand for what is right when their position is objectionable. The time for the UK to follow American positions in international diplomacy without deviation and vice versa is over. This relationship is neither special nor essential. It is only convenient;and so it should remain.

This special relationship dates back to WW2 which has been over for some 65 years, and even then there was a lot of resentment about “the Yanks” for a number of reasons.
Now it is high time Brits started looking to were their “shared interests” lie.
Despite veering to the right under Thatcher, New Labour (Conservatives-lite) and now the terrible twosome, our core values are much closer to those of North-Western Europe than the US in that we believe that rampant capitalism needs to be reined in, we accept the need to pay taxes to fund public infrastructure and a welfare state that ensures a measure of social equality, we are deeply suspicious about the whole notion of “patriotism”, apart from when it comes to football, and we don’t bang on about God all the time.
The EU may well be an imperfect, unwieldy institution, but like it or not, the UK is part of Europe, geographically, historically and culturally, and, despite all the problems with the euro and some unwelcome influence from more conservative newcomers like Poland, this is where Brits should be nurturing their political and economic relationships.

On economic front world trade,BP,climate change They have special relationship and on attacking front(Libya,Iraq,Afganistan) relations become dire essential.

While maintaining very strong ties wth the United Kingdom, the US President realises that there are other leaders in the G20 who are equally important as well. China and India, for example, are becoming increasingly important as economic and super-powers. The world is changing so fast and one has to come to grips with reality. However the special bond between the two countries will grow from strength to strenth: that is the bottom line. The President will reiterate this key fact time and time again. The British have been staunch supporters of the Americans in Afghanistan, Libya, Iraq, Iran. The Americans will always show their gratitude in return in word and in deed. So for those who are predicting a cooling in the bilateral relationship are in for a shock! In fact the President and his wife realise the deep respect and affection the British people have for him. This state visit will cement the relationship further.

Someone has thrown a large party. The arriving guests are wary. In the ballroom, the less potent guests murmur in small groups. Interdictions of canapé and vol-au-vent supplies, as well as targeted attacks on wine carts are being discussed. The VIPs plot direct attacks upon the dissidents in the kitchen and wine cellar. Each plot has contains countless sub-plots. The weaker guests huddle in small groups shielded by potted plants. A few strut about thumbing noses at everyone; an even smaller number act as if the room is entirely empty. A fifteen piece orchestra drones out a single tune. Each chair plays its own arrangement. No one is in tune. Most guests have nothing to eat or drink what-so-ever. Absolutely no one is having any fun. Doesn’t sound like much of a party does it? It’s the world of course. The US and UK need to talk to the other guests. We all need to learn many tunes. The canapé, vol-au-vent and wine supplies need secured for everyone’s enjoyment.
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I think that some of the arguments for "no" are missing the point.

The reason why the US-UK relationships is and has been so strong, and by the way the same applies also to Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, is because these countries have a common heritage. Not just common language, common values, common history, shared world views. The relationship between the US and Mexico, for example, is utterly different from that with Canada. The relationship with other European countries is also different, possible exception of the Scandinavian countries.

This all goes beyond any current war in Afghanistan. We're talking cultures here.

Certainly, President Obama is not likely to feel those strong ties instrinsically, because of his more diverse background. And too, not to be ignored, the demographics of both the US and the UK are changing rather fast, and not necessarily in the same direction(s). So I would not be a bit surprised if this historically close relationship will wane in the future.

But in the short term, President Obama can be in office for at most 6 more years anyway. It's not like he alone defines the future, at least not near term. So the relationship may well grow closer again, in the future.

Who cares what you call it? Why can't you just say that we are "Old friends"? The Media constantly harping on about what to call the relationship is making the UK sound *NEEDY* - PLEASE STOP IT! -

We don't need to be friends we Wish to be friends, & our historical connections enable exploitation within that friendship. Why not concentrate on what we say in instead of how we say it?
1 We are Both independent and powerful
2 We have lived as friends peacefully by side for several-100 years without war and not many countries can say that!
3 We have each other's backs. The US is our bigger powerful younger Son and we are their older wiser historical Mother.
4 - Make no mistake, the UK has brains, brawn and connections, and we may be smaller, but we are certainly not weaker nor are we easily scared of anyone else's size or strength!
5 - The UK has connections to most of the rest of the World, which the US exploits (ie: as an enabler for military bases/ treaties / trade etc)
6 - you fill in the gaps - there's are 101 things here which never gets said and is over shadowed by the 'words' that describe it instead
7 - This never happened until Bush and Blair, no one had press conferences on what to call us, so WAKE up MEDIA - stop making us into a needy baby or girlfriend who needs to ask 'do you love me' ? - by the way you call my name? I respect our alliegences with America, and I like it, in fact I love it - I know what our friendship means so how come You - the Media - don't ?

It is of prime interests based on shared values both in the past and for the future.

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