This week’s referendum on Scottish independence has largely flown under the radar here in the United States. The cable news networks have devoted little attention so far to the issue, as the ISIL threat in the Middle East continues to dominate international coverage. There has been no polling conducted on the Scottish question in the U.S., and it is doubtful that many Americans outside of the Washington policy bubble or the financial milieu of New York are particularly exercised by the outcome of a vote taking place more than 3,000 miles away.
They should be concerned. What happens in Scotland will reverberate on this side of the Atlantic, and not for the better. Here are five reasons why Americans should be nervous about the outcome of next week’s vote if Scotland votes for independence.
The United Kingdom is far and away America’s biggest and most important ally. Anything that weakens Britain, and chips away at the Special Relationship, is a big negative for the United States. This fear has been amply expressed by dozens of members of Congress, both Republican and Democrat, who are backing a resolution in the House of Representatives declaring that a “united, secure, and prosperous United Kingdom” is vital to US interests.
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