One of the more ludicrous and offensive claims being made by the ‘Safer In’ lobby is that the existence of the European Union has resulted in peace across the region since the end of hostilities in 1945.
Now there will of course, be those who swallow this claim but anyone with a brain in their head (or access to Google) will know instantly that the very idea is laughable. More importantly, this blatant lie is incredibly disrespectful to the British servicemen and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in such shitholes as Bosnia and Kosovo following the decimation of the Balkan region which exploded into civil war in 1992.
Equally, the last time I looked, Northern Ireland is part of the UK and therefore the EU, yet I don’t recall ever seeing a soldier from any of our European allies on the streets of Belfast. I do however, recall the 1441 British soldiers who gave their lives trying to keep the peace there. Do they not count?
And whilst the Falklands might not actually be part of Europe in the strictest sense, is that really an excuse for both France and Belgium to supply arms and equipment to Argentina when we were at war with them? With friends like that, who needs enemies?
Even when one looks toward the East and the cold war which threatened nuclear armageddon on a seemingly daily basis, speaking as an ex-servicemen who spent much of their 18 years in uniform keeping the Soviet military might at bay, I can say with some authority that it wasn’t the EU that kept the peace, it was the fact that we were a part of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation). And irrespective of what happens in the referendum, we will remain a member of NATO so there will be absolutely no impact on the future of the region. At least in a military sense.
Yes, there are very real concerns about security across the region but just as pressing, if not more so, are the ones we face on our own little island. In my opinion the best, if not the only way to deal with them is to secure our borders and gain greater control of who enters our country and deal with those who have already smuggled themselves in.
We simply cannot do that whilst we remain a member of the EU which is why I’ll be voting to leave on June 23rd.
My numerous books including the football comedy Wings of a Sparrow and the #1 thrillers, The Crew and Top Dog are available from both Amazon and iTunes.
Please click on the relevant link for more information.
Oscar, Bafta, diversity, author, screenwriter, racism, racist, hollywood