SDSR - as others see us

Here's a jaw-dropper. Headline from the the respected US mag Foreign Policy:

Why the U.S. needs to be more like Britain

What makes it all the more remarkable is that the author's focus is entirely on defence, the most cocked-up part of the spending review. If in the opinion of a well-informed US journopuke the Americans have much to learn from Liam Fox and the "British defense establishment", then they are many, many miles up shit creek.

Britain's reductions are substantial, and one wishes they had not been necessary. But the Cameron government deserves an awful lot of credit for facing Britain's debt crisis and making hard choices that accept risk in the near term to put their country on stronger strategic footing. The British set sensible priorities and programmed to them, making cuts that do not damage their ability to protect and advance their interests. Lots of other countries are set to make reductions in defense spending, including the United States; probably none - including us - will do as proficient a job as Defense Minister Liam Fox and the British defense establishment have done.