️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️  (CNN) Whoever wins the general election on May 7 will face international challenges reaching to the heart of a question that has bedevilled every London government since 1945: what is, or should be, Britain's role in the world? (CNN) Whoever wins the May 7 general election will face international challenges reaching to the heart of a question that has bedevilled every London government since 1945: what is, or should be, Britain's role in the world? As one of World War II's victor countries, Britain helped shape the post-war international architecture.<unk> As one of World War II's victor countries, Britain helped shape the post-war international architecture. ️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️ ąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąą The two world wars severely depleted Britain's human and material resources.<unk> The two world wars severely depleted Britain's human and material resources. ️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk> ️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️ The U.S. took over its military bases, its spheres of influence, and its markets.<unk> The U.S. took over its military bases, its spheres of influence, and its markets. Conscious of its decline, London clung, slightly pathetically, to what it termed its "special relationship" with Washington.<unk> Conscious of its decline, London clung, slightly pathetically, to what it termed its "special relationship" with Washington. ️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️ ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■ Barack Obama's arrival in the White House now looks like a watershed for bilateral relations.<unk> Barack Obama's arrival in the White House now looks like a watershed for bilateral relations. ️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️ Indeed, his grandfather's unhappy experience in colonial-era Kenya gave him reason to dislike the English.<unk> Indeed, his grandfather's unhappy experience in colonial-era Kenya gave him reason to dislike the English.<unk> Indeed, his grandfather's unhappy experience in colonial-era Kenya gave him reason to dislike the English. Obama the dispassionate analyst also found scant objective reason to prioritize the British alliance or Europe in general. <unk> Obama the dispassionate analyst also found scant objective reason to prioritize the British alliance or Europe in general. ️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️ Looking the other way, to Asia, Obama saw opportunities and threats of far greater moment, centered on rising powers such as China and India -- hence his subsequent "tilt" to Asia. Britain's principal value to the U.S. lies in its defense capabilities. - Britain's principal value to the U.S. lies in its defense capabilities. - Britain's principal value to the U.S. lies in its defense capabilities. <unk> <unk>
️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️ <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> ️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️