Now Barack Obama pokes his nose in.

[KateLMead]

Hmmm, I should have put that more directly.

It wasn't so much "lend lease" as Germany was trading with the US companies before and even after the entry of the US into WW2.

Far from the state of play today where US companies can be severely punished for breaking US sanctions, the laws of "non intervention" did not stop companies supplying both sides, more that the US state itself did not supply direct military aid to either side. Had they been serious about non intervention, they would not have allowed US companies to trade through "neutral" countries with Germany.

Also it's useful to note that

His fellow American, the historian George Herring just as candidly wrote that lend-lease was not actually the most unselfish act in the history of mankind, but rather an act of prudent egotism, with the Americans fully aware of how they could benefit from it.

And that was indeed the case, as lend-lease proved to be an inexhaustible source of wealth for many American corporations. In fact, the United States was the only country in the anti-Hitler coalition to reap significant economic dividends from the war.

In short you are totally right WM. The fact that the UK was the only country to fully repay Lend Lease (Russia insisted on re-negotiating the cost) and the fact that the US companies made significant profits from selling material to Nazi Germany in WW2, does in fact give the UK more right to interfere in the US than the opposite.

In this I believe that Boris is absolutely right that the actions of Obama are driven more by his fathers treatment by the UK than by any "benign" wishes for the UK within the EU.

To me the fact that the UK staying in the EU would significantly benefit the US, therefore they would politically interfere in the UK politics to keep us there, is one of the very best reasons for the UK to leave.

Hoe True.

[cruiser2]

Just seen an article which says Greece want to re-negotiate the terms of the last deal so that it does not have to be paid fro several years. Evidently this will mean it will not show up on the EU books as a bad debt.
Talk about cooking the books!! If Greece fails, it would bring the rest of the EU down very quickly as many German banks would be in difficulties as they have lent some of the money.
Just another reason to be out of the EU

[KateLMead]

Russia did not come to our aid in WWII, it was invaded by Nazi Germany via Operation Barbarossa in 1941. It was fighting for its life and any 'aid' to the allies was incidental to its survival.

Nor did Germany benefit during the war from lease-lend. It did benefit from the Marshall Plan after the war, as did most of Western Europe, but that was to the long-term economic benefit of the Americans.

The UK was the only nation to pay back its debts to the US from lease-lend, and rightly so, and if anything that gives us more right to interfere in US politics than Obama has to interfere in ours.

Thanks for the correction Frank.