We don’t have to like each other to be allies

“The UK needs to follow the example of de Gaulle, give up the fantasy of a ‘special relationship’ and recognise that we are a separate nation with separate interests.”

In 1966 Charles de Gaulle wrote a short memorandum to the president Lyndon Baines Johnson. France would, in his words, ‘cease her participation in the integrated commands; and no longer place her forces at the disposal of NATO’.

Another little known fact about France was that its Nuclear deterrent was developed separately to the US and the UK; de Gaulle had refused to agree to the limitations placed on him by his NATO allies, and so created his own nuclear deterrent to best suit the interests of France.

Both these moves were done in the French national interest regardless of the opinion of the United States. de Gaulle was under no illusions about the United States and its relationship with France, he held no sentimentality about Franco-American friendship or claimed some ‘special relationship’ with his ally. He knew that the US would do what fit into its strategic plans and most importantly he realised how France fit in with the diplomatic and military strategy of the superpower. He knew what the US wanted, or needed, France to do for its European strategy; and this knowledge gave him power. He realised he did not have to be dictated to by the American presidents, nor did he have to cosy up to them or lick their boots. The US, in effect, needed France to cooperate far more than France needed the US to cooperate.

America does not need to like France to cooperate with it, and France does not need to cooperate with the US without good reason.

The UK needs to follow the example of de Gaulle, give up the fantasy of a ‘special relationship’ and recognise that we are a separate nation with separate interests.

So, Joe Biden doesn’t like us and he doesn’t like our Prime Minister. So what? He’s entitled to that opinion. So what if the Biden administration doesn’t want to agree a trade deal with us, only with the EU- they are perfectly entitled to do so.

However, we must not and we cannot continue to be the doormat of the United States. He doesn’t want to trade with us? Fine. We’ll leave NATO and watch him scrabble to try and force his other allies to rebuild their shrunken militaries in a time of recession, or instead swallow an increase in US military spending. We don’t exactly need the United States, nor do we exactly need to be in NATO, but the United States very much wants us to be part of their alliance. They need a modern military such as ours to fill in the gaps that theirs cannot and this gives us an advantage.

Why not do what de Gaulle did, and show the United States that we have teeth? It could only do us good.