Following up on the earlier post on the five worst U.S. allies, I thought I'd try to identify the five best.
1. Australia. Australia has been a valued U.S. ally for a long time. They have not been a fair-weather friend, and have assisted us even when U.S. actions were highly controversial, such as in the Vietnam War, and the Iraq War. Militarily they have fairly small numbers of forces, but they are highly effective. Despite being far away, Australia is probably the most familiar Asian country to Americans. And by familiar I mean, if they had to leave the U.S. permanently and settle in Asia, most Americans would probably feel more at home in Australia(or in New Zealand) than pretty much anywhere else.
2. Canada. Most Americans take Canada for granted, and that's why it is one of our best allies. Despite the fact that it shares an extremely long border with the U.S., Americans feel perfectly comfortable having Canada as a neighbor. Yes there is a strain of anti-Americanism in Canada, but it never really seems to greatly affect our relationship. Canada is a major trading partner, a good place to vacation in, and often assists the U.S. abroad. Like Australia they speak English (militant Quebecois aside), and have a society most Americans could live in without drastic changes. It's possible they should be in the number one spot, but Australia has been more active in its support for U.S. policies.
3. Britain. Another long-time U.S. ally. I believe that Britain is in decline, and that the U.S.-British relationship has deteriorated a bit, but Britain's record as a U.S. ally is so strong that it can't be left off of this list. It also has strong cultural, political, and of course linguistic ties to the U.S.
4. Israel. I know Israel is controversial as an ally, but I put it on this list for a couple of reasons. First and most importantly, it is our only ally in the Middle East that we could count on if the region suddenly erupted into chaos. If a new Islamic revolution swept through the area, seizing control of the oil fields and cutting off our access, what is the one country we could count on? Israel. Second, Israel has significant military power and occupies a strategic location. Third, Israel is a reliable U.S. ally because it needs us far more than we need it. Israel has few options for powerful allies. The U.S. is pretty much it. And finally, we have strong cultural ties to the country, and as with Australia in Asia, most Americans would choose to live permanently in Israel rather than any other place in the Middle East -- for obvious reasons.
5. New Zealand. I put them here for most of the same reasons as Australia, although they are smaller and less significant as an ally. That's why they are number five.
Honorable mentions: South Korea, Japan (too recent of an ally. Loses points for WW2 and before), Taiwan (loses points for being a horrible ally as mainland Nationalist China), Philippines
Australia was especially good: it let the US conduct chemical tests on Australian troops, back in the 1970s.
ReplyDeleteI'd also quibble with your assertion that Britain's in decline. That was true forty years ago, but not now. In the last 15 years, Britain's per capita economic growth has been the fastest in the G7 and among the fastest in the developed world. It's nothing spectacular - since 1993, the UK-to-US GDP per capita ratio has gone up from 0.71 to 0.78 - but it's a change considering that the US grew faster for about 200 years, from independence to the 1970s.
Lol. British GDP is in severe decline. And the US State of California will surpass the British GDP in 2019. True story.
Deleteegypt....
ReplyDeleteAustralia and New Zealand are not Asian countries. Australia is one of the 7 continents. I thought everyone knew this.
ReplyDeleteVery well organized list- especially the description going along with Canada. The US and Canada seem to have tension between their citizens... but where can you go where you won't see people fighting about which country is best? For far too long have I listened to Americans and Canadians alike talk trash about one another. If there's any time to unite, it's now!
ReplyDeletewhat about pakistan half the time us military engages with pakistan for its' ups and down in that region
ReplyDeleteHmmm,
ReplyDeleteThis should called the strongest allies of USA!
beacus the best allies are Albanians!
They would give life fighting for USA.
Poland should be high on the list.
ReplyDeleteI agree with a lot of the comments, Poland is a staunch ally, as are the Albanians. We have other, smaller allies that are fighting with us that don't get mentioned: Estonia, the dutch, the Italians, the Czechs, France (so-so, although better, now). I am probably forgetting others, too. Germany is a pretty good ally now, who would have thought that years ago, huh? Russia, better relations, but I still don't trust them or consider them an "ally". As far as Canada, it goes both ways with the bashing. It's expected and almost tradition. No one really takes it seriously. And the American people are still very fond of the Brits despite the politics and the Gulf oil spill. The Americans and Brits have banter amongst themselves, too. It's all friendly competion and I don't believe most people on either side take it seriously, at least they shouldn't. There was a Neilson's rating poll a few months back and Americans considered Canada and England their favorite countries. The Aussies are always high on the list, too.
ReplyDeleteyour fucking retarded for saying Pakistan, we have considered war on their turf in 2001, and recently. Australia sent like 2,000 troops to Iraq for support, im currently deployed to Egypt and they dont like us. Canada is what i would consider number 2, but Britain is easily number 1. And yes its BRITAIN. not fucking England, England doesn't have troops. Britain does.
ReplyDeletelove aoustraliaaaaaw mate
ReplyDeleteI strongly beleive that France is a great friend of the United States. We can almost saying that the France is the United States of Europe. France is a very civilized and talented country with freedome of speach. USA and France are great friends since long time and will always be.
ReplyDeleteI am not French from France but French Canadian. I watch a lot of documentaries from France (which I must to say are very hard to beat because they're making some since long time) and I can say that USA and France have more in commun than what many people can thing.
UK No.1
ReplyDeleteCanada No. 2
Australia No.3
Poland, France, Israel - all joint 4th.
But at the end of the day the US look after No.1. The Suez crisis showed this, and in the greatest conflict of the 20th century they left their 'fave' allies to slog it out for 3 year til Japan kicked their butt and got them involved. Would one of their allies do this to them? I don't think so.
And just for the record and Hollywood, the commonwealth forces outnumbered the yanks at D Day. I don't think Private Ryan knows this.
Japan kicked the USA? lol. You mean Japan kicked the crap out of the UK. Hence Singapore, lol. The British were defeated by the Japs and the Americans came in and beat Japan. Ever heard of the American island hops and US Navy? As for D-Day, that isn't true. I wish people like yourself, would do research before you educate more ignorant people. Stop the ignorance, okay.
DeleteThe UK hates the USA and most Americans hate the UK, like myself. It's the Aussies who have been our best friends, not the Limeys. I would die along side an Aussie and New Zelander quicker than I would a conceeded Limey Brit.
DeleteCommonwealth personnel, on D-day. Of the 156,000 men landed in France on 6 June, 83,000 were American, and 73,000 were British and Canadian, while the US naval contingent was twice that of the commonwealth. Wow, please research because this info came from the BBC. Epic Fail, my friend. Now everybody is laughing at you.
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