As the Brexit vote draws near, people from all over the world are weighing in on what the British population should do. So it came as no surprise that Barack Obama wrote an op-ed piece in The Telegraph, calling strongly for Britain to remain a member of the EU.
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Copyright Catholic Herald[/caption]
The power of Britain enhanced
It was quite a persuasive read, but also quite inaccurate. To begin with he greatly overestimates the power of the European Union. Britain’s voice is not at all enhanced by the EU. It is completely moderated and compromised. But that shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone. The more sovereignty you give up, the less voice you have. And in the EU’s case, everyone’s voice is being drowned out by Merkel’s. And this goes especially for the issue of migration.
Most EU countries are in complete disagreement with Merkel’s open border policies, and yet through the EU she has managed to impose her views on everyone. The EU refuses to listen to the concerns of its citizens, and it also prevents state governments from acting on those concerns as well. Thus, showing both a disregard for the population’s desires and a patronizing attitude towards their governments.
Allies (Britain) should stick together
But what I find most insulting is Obama’s comment towards the end, “It is time for our allies and friends to stick together”. He, more than any other president, has not stuck with his allies and friends at all. He has ignored Saudi Arabia’s concerns regarding Iran, belittled Israel, sacrificed Gulf states, spied on Germany (and other allies), insulted Britain, and made a series of false assurances. Allies world-wide are in a far more dangerous position thanks to him, and droves of them are turning to Russia for help. One of the great achievements of the Obama administration is that America has become harmless as an enemy and treacherous as a friend.
Britain should not listen to a man who has no intention of living according to the ideals he espouses. Instead, they should focus on where the EU is leading them and whether they want to follow. Is Britain really stronger under Merkel controlled EU leadership? Is the EU at all competent in counter-terrorism? Are EU migration policies suicidal or constructive? Furthermore, just because EU membership may have been beneficial in the past, that does not automatically mean it will beneficial in the future.