You really have to hand it to Donald Trump. Just when you think the world has run out of ways to be offended, he manages to find a new button to push. It is almost impressive, in a grim, car-crash sort of way. This time, the former and future headache of the Western world has decided to rewrite history regarding the war in Afghanistan. And the reaction from the United Kingdom? Absolute, sputtering shock. It is adorable, really.

Here is the situation. Trump has claimed that NATO troops—our European soldiers—stayed away from the front lines in Afghanistan. He basically said they were hiding while the Americans did the heavy lifting. Now, anyone with a history book or a working memory knows this is false. But facts have never really been Trump’s favorite thing. He prefers a good story, usually one where he is the hero and everyone else is a freeloader.

The reaction in the British Parliament has been a sight to behold. Usually, the House of Commons is a zoo. You have the Labour Party, the Tories, and the Liberal Democrats shouting at each other until they are blue in the face. They cannot agree on the weather, let alone policy. But suddenly, miraculously, they are united. And what united them? The sheer audacity of Donald Trump insulting their dead.

One phrase that came out of this mess really sticks with me. An MP said Trump’s comments made his "flesh creep." It is such a wonderfully British way to describe horror. It isn't just anger; it is a physical reaction to the nonsense. It is the feeling you get when you realize the person driving the bus has no idea where the brakes are.

Let’s look at the tragic figure of Calvin Bailey. He is a Labour MP, and he is not just a politician in a suit. The man served with the US Air Force Special Operations Command in Afghanistan. He has an Air Medal to prove it. He stood up in Parliament and talked about his medal as a "permanent reminder" of the bond between the UK and the US. He spoke about how NATO answered the call when America needed help after 9/11.

It is a noble speech. It is heartfelt. It is true. And it is completely useless.

Mr. Bailey is trying to bring dignity to a street fight. He is holding up his service and the deaths of 457 British soldiers and 43 Danish personnel as proof of commitment. He thinks that by showing the blood spilled, Trump will suddenly say, "Oh, my apologies, I was wrong." But that is not how this game is played anymore. In the world of modern populism, the dead are just props. Those 457 British soldiers? To Trump, they are just numbers that get in the way of his narrative that America is being ripped off by Europe.

The saddest part of this entire spectacle is the British belief in the "Special Relationship." For decades, the UK has followed the United States around like a loyal puppy, hoping for a pat on the head. They joined the wars. They spent the money. They invoked Article 5—the NATO rule that says an attack on one is an attack on all—to defend the United States. It was the only time in history that rule has been used. Europe bled for America.

And what is the thanks they get? They get told they were hiding. They get told they didn't do enough. It is the geopolitical equivalent of helping a friend move house, carrying the heavy sofa up three flights of stairs, and then having that friend tell everyone you sat in the car eating chips the whole time.

The outrage from the Tories, Labour, and the Lib Dems is valid, but it is also pathetic. It reveals how powerless they are. They are yelling across the ocean at a man who does not care about them. They are condemning him in a room full of people who already agree with them. It is a theater of the absurd. They are trying to use shame against a man who has no shame.

This story isn't just about a rude comment. It is about the collapse of an alliance. The British politicians are clinging to the idea that facts, honor, and sacrifice still matter in international relations. They want to believe that if they just explain how many of their people died, the US President will treat them with respect. But that world is gone. It ended a long time ago.

So, the MPs can say their flesh is creeping. They can polish their medals. They can list the names of the fallen. But the reality is staring them in the face: The "Special Relationship" is a delusion. Europe is alone. The sooner these politicians stop acting shocked and start acting like adults who need to look after themselves, the better. But I wouldn't hold my breath. They seem to enjoy the drama too much.