What if anything is actually gained by Britain for participating in the 'Special Relationship'? Seems like folly to me, since the Continent is so much better than the US.
We have a lot of historic links with the U.S (not just the colonial period; a lot of people emigrated to the U.S in the 19th Century) and importent economic and strategic links with the U.S. There's also emotional links due to WW2. We speak the same language as you and there are a lot of cultural and political similarities.
At the same time, most people here hate the rest of Europe. France and Germany especially. We've hated France since 1066 and Germany since WW1 and (especially WW2).
That is interesting and makes a lot of sense! I have to admit the Brits and the Continentals here are breeds apart. Mostly the Brits are frightening baldy tattooed yobs or snide and unpleasant middle class types. All are terrible drunks and of course the yobs are prone to bar fights. The Continentals - mostly German, Scandianavian, Dutch, Belgian, are all so pleasant, calm, peaceful. You can always tell them a mile away because they have a little hair on their heads. And never a bar fight from them.
