DC in DC

I'm currently in Washington DC (have been for two weeks) and will be attending all three public events of David Cameron's visit here, including his speech to Brookings on the precarious situation in the Balkans - a subject close to the heart of the Tory leader's Chief of Staff, Ed Llewellyn, who was adviser to Paddy Ashdown when the latter was High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina.

At the afternoon press conference I will, as promised, attempt to ask a question on the special relationship from a ConservativeHome reader.  Please use the thread below to suggest one.

The Conservative leader's visit will begin with a visit to Section 60 of Arlington cemetery to pay respects to the American soldiers who have died in the Iraq and Afganistan wars.  A moving choice.

I'll blog as much of the visit as I can, as soon as I can.

Comments

[Tony Makara]

Is there a potential conflict of interest between Britain's special relationship with the United States and Britain's relationship with Europe?

[Robert McIlveen]

Does the special relationship place an extra requirement on us to point out when US foreign policy is going in the wrong direction?

[Mark Fulford]

Many people in Britain question whether we really do have a Special Relationship with America. Who is to blame and what can you about it?

Or, for a less aggressive approach, take the blame bit out and leave it as "What can you do to change this?"

[David Belchamber]

Relationships are formed out of mutual respect, common interests and close friendship. Has Britain now the right occasionally to be a "critical friend"?

[Andrew Lilico]

Do the shared values that underpin our special relation give the US and UK shared duties in opposing oppression and a shared mission in exporting our values to nations and peoples that sadly lack them?

[DavisFan]

Who would win in a fight - Superman or David Davis?

[Michael Davidson]

"We can all see how it benefits America, but what does Britain actually get out of the special-relationship?"

[Malcolm Dunn]

What would you do differently from Tony Blair?

[Nostradamus]

"What DC thinks his Balkans speech will do to rebuild bridges between the Republican Administration and the Conservative Party" and if you get a second bite ask him what he thinks about Iran's nuclear ambitions, what of the situation in Pakistan and the impending loss of nuclear weapons into mad-Mullah's hands, why nothing on the little matter of ME Peace being discussed down the road in Annapolis. Come to think of it, ask him which person in his office decided it would be a good idea to fly all the way to Washington to talk about the Balkans, which of course is widely seen as a Blair/Clinton triumph. I hate to say it folks but I cannot see this particular foray into foreign policy going very well on account of it being somewhat misguided. The Party could have saved a whole heap of cash and sent either Ed Llewellyn or Arminka Helic (Hague's Bosnian-born researcher) to make the speech. I know all you pious people out there are going to rant at me but put a cold towel on your head and ask yourself this one simple question, "Pakistan rogue nukes or Balkans AK47s, which is worse" - take your pick.