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11/21/2024 05:10:45 pm

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How Scotland's Independence Makes The US Anxious

Cameron and Obama

(Photo : REUTERS/Andrew Winning) Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron (L) and U.S. President Barack Obama watch a fly-past by the Red Arrows during the NATO summit at the Celtic Manor resort, near Newport, in Wales September 5, 2014.

The United States' relationship with UK would essentially change with the possible split of Great Britain, CNN journalist Kevin Liptak said. However, the White House kept its sentiments private despite the consequences it would face if Scotland voted "yes" on Thursday.


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U.S. President Barack Obama said earlier that it has a strong interest that UK, a close ally, remains united, strong, and an effective ally.

In a recent tweet, he reiterated the same message.

Apart from emphasizing "united," he said nothing else, apparently taking the advice of many not to take sides. The rest of Washington reiterated similar views when asked how they feel about Scotland's possible independence.

"Of course the United States has an opinion," former State Department official Jeremy Shapiro said. He added that the White House may have recognized that stating its opinion would not help.

Liptak, who covers the White House offered his thoughts instead.

For one, he said that the White House is anxious about the split. Like other great nations across the globe, it is closely watching the referendum vote.

Liptak believed that this anxiety is attributed to how Scotland's possible independence would affect America. He cited two aspects that may be affected: economy and security.

First, since the U.S. has significant trade ties with UK and EU, the split would create uncertainty among investors and its markets.

A British conservative commentator Niles Gardiner in the Telegraph last week described uncertainty in Wall Street as a "significant turmoil."

Furthermore, Liptak cited America's biggest fear: other European countries could follow Scotland's tracks.

Second, national security is put to question because all of Britain's nuclear weapons are at Scotland's Royal Navy base. Four submarines with ballistic missiles are currently leased from the U.S., reports said.

Also, there is the question of Scotland's readiness to join military coalitions like Obama's campaign against ISIL and Russia.

The likely split would force Scotland to reapply to the alliance if it chooses to, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said this week.

Despite these unpleasant prospects, Obama said the decision rests on the Scots.

Meanwhile, British Prime Minister David Cameron described the possible split as a "painful divorce" in contrast to a "trial separation," since the United Kingdom is already more than 300 years old.

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