‘Is this a parody account?’ UK Foreign Office tweet mocked after US ‘special relationship’ boast

7 Aug, 2019 15:09 / Updated 5 years ago

The UK Foreign Office has been ridiculed online after boastfully tweeting that Britain and the US “do more together than any two nations on Earth,” prompting many to highlight their damaging military relationship.

What was ostensibly intended to be a post promoting the idea of a new exciting trade deal being forged between the two western allies, has instead provoked many online to highlight the wars Britain and the US have participated in around the world.

One Twitter user simply asked: “Is this a parody account?” 

While others accused the UK and US of creating misery for millions, “invading their countries...destroying infrastructure, livelihoods, killing their children...stealing their resources.”

The attached video does point to the very noble military collaboration between the two countries to stamp out the spread of fascism from Nazi Germany, but tellingly omits the costly Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya.

These conflicts have arguably not only had dire consequences for those countries but also for the surrounding countries.

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Afghanistan

British military cost - £21.3 billion (2001/2002 to 2013/14)

Civilian deaths - Over 31,000 (2001 - 2016)

British forces personnel or MOD civilian deaths - 454 (2001 - 2015)

Iraq    

British military cost - £8.4 billion (2003 - 2009)

Civilian deaths - 461,000 (2003 - 2011)

British forces personnel or MOD civilian deaths - 179 (2003 - 2009)

Libya

British military cost - estimates from £212 million - £1.75 billion (2011)

Civilian deaths - 30,000 according to interim government figures in 2011

British forces personnel or MOD civilian deaths - 1

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It’s also worth noting that both the US and the UK have contributed to the war in Yemen, conducted by the Saudi-led coalition, through arms sales and deployment of their military personnel in the command and control center. 

A recently published UN study warned that the number of war-related deaths in Yemen could reach a staggering 233,000 by the end of the year.

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