Airstrip One

Would we do this to an American?

When wittering on about the "Special Relationship" that we have with America (which is waaay more important than the one they have with Israel, Saudi Arabia or Japan) it is perhaps instructive to see the way in which the Americans actually treat British civilians. Now I must stress I hold no brief for British people who go abroard in search of trouble and then expect the long hand of the mother country to come to their aid whenever they get into trouble - so this person deserved whatever he got by helping the Taliban.

But don't we notice the difference when John Walker Lindh was captured by an American ally, in this case the Rashid Dostum? He went on to a fair trial. Our citizens on the other hand...

Special relationship, unrequited.