Re: Time for Ireland to Grow Up?
Anyone who seriously thinks the US will not grant the UK a trade deal because of the "Irish Lobby" needs to remember what the EU did to Ireland back in 2012 with the full support of Ireland's American friends. Not sure? Ray Bassett is an ex Irish diplomat and was part of the Irish team during the Good Friday Agreement talks. While discussing the EU Irish bailout in his recent book he says,
"I later had the opportunity of discussing the terms of the Bailout with the Canadian PM, Stephen Harper, when he was about to visit Ireland, and the Canadian Finance Minister Jim Flaherty. Both expressed private horror at what the EU had inflicted on Ireland. Flaherty simply said "You were screwed", while Harper asked, "Are these people supposed to be your friends?"
He goes on to say that the two Canadians were very helpful to Ireland when dealing with the IMF, where Canada has a lot of influence.
He continues "This was in marked contrast to our so-called EU friends. It was also in marked contrast to the attitude of the United States, where Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner lined up with the faceless officials of the ECB to pressure Ireland into the Bailout."
If there is a No Deal then the EU will want to protect their precious single market so some arrangement will have to be worked out between them and ROI. Not saying a "hard border" or anything like that will be put in place but there will be some solution. Politicians (remainers) have been using the term "hard border" for ages now in order to instil fear into the minds of people and for propaganda purposes, despite the fact that all sides to the debate have insisted it won't happen.