OPINION:
President Biden’s public comparison, in Saudi Arabia, of Israel’s treatment of Palestinians to Britain’s past in Ireland is a step too far. What about U.S. historical treatment of Mexicans, Cubans or Filipinos, and what about Mr. Biden’s friendliness toward figures in the Irish Republican Army? Britain enjoyed excellent relations with the U.S. under Presidents Kennedy, Reagan and Clinton, all of whom had Irish ancestry, and it is self-indulgent and a dereliction for this president to make his personal background an issue.
Britain has stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the U.S. through all the major conflicts of the 20th century, save the Vietnam War. It has long been the U.S.’s most reliable ally. In Ukraine, it is Britain that the U.S. can rely on, not the European Union, Germany or France, and certainly not Ireland, which remains “neutral” (i.e., can’t be bothered).
Mr. Biden is testing the lifelong Atlanticism of Britons like me, and his stance over British policy in Ireland is misguided and ignorant. The EU’s customs border in the Irish Sea breaks the Good Friday Agreement as much as any Irish land border would.
GREGORY SHENKMAN
London
Please read our comment policy before commenting.