Brown makes a move or two

The Brown government has made a move which not only distances it from the Blair government but serves notice to the White House that Brown is ... well, I won't say "nobody's lapdog" because I don't know that, but "not Bush's lapdog" seems to be accurate.

In fact, it's made a couple.

First, they've demanded the release of the British residents held at Guantánamo - five men held without charges whom the Blair government had for five years refused to help.

Second, it's preparing to leave Iraq before the US does, by the end of the year in fact.

Hey - Dan Damon just announced another change, though it won't directly impact the US: Brown says that Iraqi interpreters who work for the British troops in Iraq will be able to re-apply for visas to come to the UK.

The special relationship may be a little less special - given the way the man in the White House reacts when people cross him.