WASHINGTON, May 15 (UPI) -- Cuts in the British military budget threaten the "special relationship" with the United States, a report by a U.S. think tank said Tuesday.
A group at the Atlantic Council, headed by former U.S. Ambassador to NATO R. Nicholas Burns, said Britain could be isolated by policies adopted by the coalition headed by Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron, The Daily Telegraph reported. The report, "Anchoring the Alliance," suggested the coalition is weakening ties to both the United States and European Union.
"The [United Kingdom] must not let shrinking defense budgets shrink its global ambition," the report said. "The United States has no better or more capable ally than the United Kingdom. There is indeed a 'special relationship' between the two nations. But the operational nature of the 'special relationship' is at risk."
Cameron's defense cuts will weaken the British military at least through 2020, the report said.
"Moreover, Prime Minister David Cameron's coalition government has yet to develop a coherent strategic vision for the [United Kingdom's] role in a changing global landscape," the report said.
