--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Too close and unthinking an allegiance to…" description: "\"Too close and unthinking an allegiance to Washington has sometimes got British governments into trouble.\" — Linda Colley" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a3/linda-colley-3299_british_too-close-and-unthinking-an-allegiance-t_690334.jpg" --- # Too close and unthinking an allegiance to Washington has… ![“Too close and unthinking an allegiance to Washington has sometimes got British governments into trouble.” quote by Linda Colley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a3/linda-colley-3299_british_too-close-and-unthinking-an-allegiance-t_690334.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a3/linda-colley-3299_british_too-close-and-unthinking-an-allegiance-t_690334.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a3/linda-colley-3299_british_too-close-and-unthinking-an-allegiance-t_690334.jpg) > “Too close and unthinking an allegiance to Washington has sometimes got British governments into trouble.” [Linda Colley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-colley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Blind loyalty to a powerful ally can lead a nation into costly mistakes. **In simple terms:** Blind loyalty can cause trouble. Key Takeaway Question alliances carefully. Themes politics history loyalty Mood cautious reflective Type analytical historical When to use this quote - foreign policy - diplomacy - government decisions Key Concepts realpolitik national interest Questions to Reflect On - What risks do you see in uncritical support? - How can you balance loyalty with independent judgment? A Different Perspective Blind allegiance may ignore changing circumstances. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [British](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/british/) [Governments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/governments/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) ## Related quotes > [Congress wants to keep "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance. Washington politicians are united in their faith. 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The EPA has served notice that it will enact a rule requiring CO2 reductions by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/local-and-state-governments-have-outrun-the-federal-government-the/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [Governments follow their people. A great deal has to do with the vision of the leadership of governments. They have a vision, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-khurshid/governments-follow-their-people-a-great-deal-has-to-do-with-the/) [Salman Khurshid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-khurshid/) ## More by Linda Colley > [Britain, like other European states, is not and never will again be in the top-world-power league, so its male leaders can afford to play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-colley/britain-like-other-european-states-is-not-and-never-will-again-be-in/) [Linda Colley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-colley/) > [Hillary Clinton is tough, clever, and formidably well briefed, and has been politically ambitious all her adult life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-colley/hillary-clinton-is-tough-clever-and-formidably-well-briefed-and-has/) [Linda Colley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-colley/) > [In Great Britain, woman was subordinate and confined. But at least she was also safe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-colley/in-great-britain-woman-was-subordinate-and-confined-but-at-least-she/) [Linda Colley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-colley/) > [Once conscription was introduced during the First World War, and once Britain's wars ceased being confined to the empire or to continental Europe and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-colley/once-conscription-was-introduced-during-the-first-world-war-and-once/) [Linda Colley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-colley/) > [Virtually every war fought since the Act of Union had gone badly at some stage, but before 1783 none had ended in defeat. Nor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-colley/virtually-every-war-fought-since-the-act-of-union-had-gone-badly-at/) [Linda Colley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-colley/) > [Traditionally, royal females who have not had the luck to become queens regnant have been granted very limited roles. They have been expected to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-colley/traditionally-royal-females-who-have-not-had-the-luck-to-become/) [Linda Colley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-colley/) > [Never fly to the U.S. the day before Thanksgiving or the weekend after because every airport is guaranteed to be crammed to bursting with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-colley/never-fly-to-the-u-s-the-day-before-thanksgiving-or-the-weekend-after/) [Linda Colley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-colley/) > [Men and women do not live by bread alone. They also need sustaining ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-colley/men-and-women-do-not-live-by-bread-alone-they-also-need-sustaining/) [Linda Colley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-colley/) > [High-level political wives are by no means new. 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There would almost certainly have been no British victory at Waterloo,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-colley/even-at-its-most-powerful-britain-always-needed-alliances-with-other/) [Linda Colley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-colley/) > [Far from being aberrant and un-British, criticising a war in which our troops are actively engaged is a long-established parliamentary and political tradition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-colley/far-from-being-aberrant-and-un-british-criticising-a-war-in-which-our/) [Linda Colley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-colley/) > [One of the reasons why the personnel of U.S. politics are more diverse is that - unlike the U.K. - one can compete for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-colley/one-of-the-reasons-why-the-personnel-of-u-s-politics-are-more-diverse/) [Linda Colley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-colley/) > [“By Jamaican standards, this level of slave-ownership on the part of a skilled craftsman was not unusual. The 157 inhabitants of Port Royal who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-colley/by-jamaican-standards-this-level-of-slave-ownership-on-the-part-of-a/) [Linda Colley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-colley/) [Explore all 134 Linda Colley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-colley/) ## More British quotes > [I'd love to work in the States; I'd love to work anywhere where you get a good script and a good part to play.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-carmichael/i-d-love-to-work-in-the-states-i-d-love-to-work-anywhere-where-you/) [Laura Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-carmichael/) > [I shot for French and British Vogue. 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Our belief in tolerance and liberty which shines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-brown/we-can-find-common-qualities-and-common-values-that-have-made-britain/) [Gordon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-brown/) > [ No wonder that Churchill described this effort \[the British codebreakers working at Bletchley Park\] as "Britian"s secret weapon," a weapon far more effective than… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-hilton/no-wonder-that-churchill-described-this-effort-the-british/) [Peter Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-hilton/) > [When we first sold the Wallace and Gromit shorts to America, people suggested we get rid of the strange British accents and put clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-park/when-we-first-sold-the-wallace-and-gromit-shorts-to-america-people/) [Nick Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-park/) > [I always wanted to make a 'James Bond' film, and they only seemed to hire British directors, and I'd made 'Swingers' - they were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/i-always-wanted-to-make-a-james-bond-film-and-they-only-seemed-to/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) > [Somebody said that part of my reaction to British cinema is actually, paradoxically, a patriotic one. I'm so disappointed that we're not better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-brownlow/somebody-said-that-part-of-my-reaction-to-british-cinema-is-actually/) [Kevin Brownlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-brownlow/) > [All the cliches of glamorous sophistication have little appeal to me. Do I want to live the British version of 'Dynasty?' No thanks!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sade-adu/all-the-cliches-of-glamorous-sophistication-have-little-appeal-to-me/) [Sade Adu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sade-adu/) > [British Forces should be in a position to give back in a ten fold measure any attack that the Germans may attempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-banting/british-forces-should-be-in-a-position-to-give-back-in-a-ten-fold/) [Frederick Banting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-banting/) > [Although I don't have anything against people from other countries, the higher the influx into England the more the British identity disappears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/although-i-don-t-have-anything-against-people-from-other-countries/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It could be my British need for discipline that makes me admire the American appetite for freedom and passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-winwood/it-could-be-my-british-need-for-discipline-that-makes-me-admire-the/) [Steve Winwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-winwood/) > [While we like to think queueing is unique to British culture, the truth is that we are mere amateurs. The old Soviet Union turned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-hartley-brewer/while-we-like-to-think-queueing-is-unique-to-british-culture-the/) [Julia Hartley-Brewer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-hartley-brewer/) > [The American Constitution declares 'All men are born equal.' The British Socialist Party add: 'All men must be kept equal'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-american-constitution-declares-all-men-are-born-equal-the-british/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [The whole nuclear-arms-control and non-proliferation policy of the nuclear powers is a fraud: The Americans could not prevent the Soviets from replicating their weaponry,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conrad-black/the-whole-nuclear-arms-control-and-non-proliferation-policy-of-the/) [Conrad Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conrad-black/) > [There just seems to be more acceptance now of other kinds of British films, than the picture-postcard ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-roth/there-just-seems-to-be-more-acceptance-now-of-other-kinds-of-british/) [Tim Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-roth/) [Browse all 3,149 British quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/british/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Too close and unthinking an allegiance to Washington has sometimes got British governments into trouble.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Linda Colley" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-colley/too-close-and-unthinking-an-allegiance-to-washington-has-sometimes/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "British" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-colley/too-close-and-unthinking-an-allegiance-to-washington-has-sometimes/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a3/linda-colley-3299_british_too-close-and-unthinking-an-allegiance-t_690334.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a3/linda-colley-3299_british_too-close-and-unthinking-an-allegiance-t_690334.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a3/linda-colley-3299_british_too-close-and-unthinking-an-allegiance-t_690334.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Too close and unthinking an allegiance to Washington has sometimes got British governments into trouble.” — Linda Colley", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Linda Colley", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-colley/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Too close and unthinking an allegiance...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-colley/too-close-and-unthinking-an-allegiance-to-washington-has-sometimes/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-colley/too-close-and-unthinking-an-allegiance-to-washington-has-sometimes/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```