UK special relationship with America. Is it real?

[Chips]

There's plenty of comment upon what is special about it, and often indicates the depth is led by the leaders of both nations. In reality is that there's daily cooperation between the two in areas which involve a shared global opinion and interest - essentially military + intelligence.

We may view actions and what is said at a leader level, but that doesn't mean under the surface where we have no idea what's going on that, based upon a Trump tweet or Johnson gaffe, that each side is sending home various employees from various roles or welcoming them back with open arms. The "special" part is just a definition that it's beyond normal cooperation between nations. It doesn't indicate preferential treatment in trade, or in every sector. Surely both will act in their best interest for their own country and citizens first and foremost.

As for military action and allies, you don't have allies by only helping when it's a specific interest for yourself and refusing at all other times. Why? Because when you then have a need to call for aid you won't get a reply. It is sub-optimal to get called into a war, but there's a very specific reason allies respond positively when called upon.