Shared adversaries in the Anglo-American Special Relationship: from the Cold War to contemporary threats

The Anglo-American Special Relationship has been at its most vibrant when the two countries have shared a common adversary. The Cold War confrontation with the Soviet Union and its Warsaw Pact allies, and then Islamist terrorism during the ‘War on Terror’, gave the relationship strength and purpose. Within these periods of intense cooperation, however, there were issues that caused tensions between the two sides. The Special Relationship languished during the decade after the end of the Cold War, as well as the period between 2008 and 2021. During these periods, the US and the UK lacked a shared external threat, which consequently led to a decline in the vitality of their bilateral cooperation. Now, however, the Special Relationship is beginning to face a new era of threat. Russia, following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, and China, represent a dual challenge that is once again galvanizing the Special Relationship.