Comments on: The US / UK road to Iraq and the corrupting influence of the Anglo-American “special relationship” http://inthesenewtimes.com/2008/12/13/the-us-uk-road-to-iraq-and-the-corrupting-influence-of-the-anglo-american-%e2%80%9cspecial-relationship%e2%80%9d/ "In these new times, in spite of the dangers, the most brutal force, the most fearful night, we are engaged in the fight to survive." No Novo Tempo-Ivan Lins, Vitor Martins Thu, 10 May 2012 17:35:26 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: inthesenewtimes http://inthesenewtimes.com/2008/12/13/the-us-uk-road-to-iraq-and-the-corrupting-influence-of-the-anglo-american-%e2%80%9cspecial-relationship%e2%80%9d/#comment-2007 Sat, 13 Dec 2008 13:16:18 +0000 http://inthesenewtimes.com/?p=3683#comment-2007 An excellent attempt at an overview of Britain. I think it needs clarifying, however, that the executive is only too strong relative to parliament: it is too weak relative to entrenched oligarchy. Magna Carta, the Cromwell revolution, 1688 and the Thatcher/Blair revolution were all attempts to reinforce oligarchy. As Machiavelli never ceased to stress no nation can prosper without subjecting the grandees to executive control.

The stuff on the Puritans is excellent but needs to go further: as John Dee, the Elizabethan founder of the British Empire idea had it, we were literally descendents of the lost tribes, literally, not metaphorically, the chosen people, the Jews. The King James bible deliberately incorporated this idea in its new translation according to the Jewish Encyclopedia. This British/Israelite doctrine is fundamental to understand Britain. The Puritans were more pioneers of empire than refugees from oppression.

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