No more than good neighbours?

It is reported that recent events have strained - or maybe even destroyed - the "special relationship" which it has traditionally been said exists between this country and the United States. It is true that we speak the same language - sort of - and subscribe, at least on the face of it, to many of the same values, but the idea that the US is like a big brother looking out for us has never struck me as supported by the facts. America acts purely in America's interests and has always done so. They didn't come in to either of the two world wars until they saw it as in their interests to do so and the idea that they came in to the latter one to help plucky little Britain is a load of cobblers. So this special relationship is really just an empty phrase designed to do no more than suggest that in general we see things in much the same way, and the fact that recently that hasn't been so doesn't really alter anything.