Originally Posted by
Buster15
They are certainly big enough not to need a relationship with us.
This was not always true. In 1964, after Harold Wilson was elected, Dean Rusk pleaded with Patrick Gordon Walker and Dennis Healey for Britain to maintain its East of Suez presence. Wilson was actually keen to do so despite budgetary pressure. The US was probably motivated because of the increasing tempo in Vietnam and we would provide stability on their western flank. Of course Aden went in 1969 but we remained in Singapore until 1974.