Vulgar and Arrogant?

Whom do you think Britons associate with the adjectives "vulgar" ,"arrogant" with a society "riven by class and racism", "crime-ridden" and led by an "incompetent hypocrite"?

The Brits being who they are, your first guess might be the French (after all, Chirac IS an incompetent hypocrite?


... but actually, no, it's the Americans. (I didn't add "obsessed with money" as that would have been too easy ;-) That's at least according to The Telegraph who published the result of a poll that says that Britons have never had such a low opinion of the leadership of the United States :

More than two-thirds who offered an opinion said America is essentially an imperial power seeking world domination. And 81% of those who took a view said President George W Bush hypocritically championed democracy as a cover for the pursuit of American self-interests.

An imperial power seeking world domination.... doesn't that remind you of another country until WII - and yet another one before that?
(more later)