Dear All
Through-out history, small countries have
fared rather badly when it comes to defending themselves in the world.
Could an independent Scotland fare any
better?
Warfare in the past was bombs, bullets and
guns, with air superiority being crucial.
Controlling the air is still an important
aspect of modern warfare; it remains the first step before land invasion.
But in today’s climate, there are also
other threats which need to be addressed, terrorism, financial terrorism in the
form of ‘currency wars’ and the new and developing cyber warfare.
The UK Government is producing white
papers, and the Secretary of State for Defence, Philip Hammond, launched the UK
Government's Defence report on Scottish Independence.
Before you turn a page, the report probably
doesn’t make comfortable reading for the SNP, they never really got the hang of
defence as a ‘political party’ and they aren’t much better placed as a
government.
That is why Scotland’s ‘jolly fat man’ Alex
Salmond opted for joining NATO.
For about 30 years the SNP were anti NATO
because of the Nuclear weapon aspect of the alliance.
Part of their membership came from CND as
the SNP sought to build a power base to do the work, so little anti groups
against the British Government all signed up with their own little agendas, agendas
that have nothing to do with Scottish independence.
Defence is an important issue in the
independence debate, because it not only affects Scotland, there is a knock on
effect downwards towards sunny England.
About 18 months ago on the BBC, Newsnight Scotland debate, I said the SNP needed
to go Pro NATO and Pro Nuclear Faslane, this guarantees sovereignty, as a NATO member housing the nuclear submarine fleet; we could solve many problems at a stroke,
not just military.
And it’s cost effective.
But no, Alex Salmond and Scotland’s
unpopular Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon dropped the ball, instead of
standing on stage at the SNP Conference and explaining the facts of life to the
masses, they bottled it.
And
as bottles crashed in the conference, the defence strategy was rightly branded
a joke, it’s a sham, no one believes the SNP on defence matters, a recent poll
should that Scots favour keeping Trident.
NATO has been the cornerstone of Western
Defence since 1948, it is the club that everyone must join and for good reason.
Joint safety!
The state has a responsibility to provide
an effective deterrent in order to safeguard our citizens; it is part of the
contract with voters.
We don’t ask for wars of adventure, but by
the same token we sign up to help those who need assistance whatever form that
may take.
If independent, it would take decades to
put in place the same kind of set up as the UK currently enjoys but on a much
smaller scale, and some of the defence provision which applies to the UK's
global role wouldn’t be available.
The numbers don’t stack up on the financial
paper or on boots on the ground.
Peacekeeping as part of the United Nations
would be possible as part of a taskforce, but not a pro active role as the UK
and US currently do, fighting today costs a serious amount of money, plus you
need a reserve in defence spending, a big reserve.
An independent Scotland would not have the
same influence on international affairs as it does as part of the UK.
We would be irrelevant, that may upset
people, but that is a fact, in any intervention by Scotland would be limited,
forget fighting for years, timescale on deployment would be a matter of months
if engaged in active fighting.
Cost of a modern fighter jet?
£120 million is a good ball park figure,
Scotland needs at least 30.
Tag on running costs.
So far the SNP and Scottish Government have
done a miserable job on defence, Englishman SNP MP Angus Robertson hasn’t done
the work required, in fact, he best sit his arse down and keep quiet for all
the good he has done.
His famous we could have a navy like Norway
and then to say he hadn’t a clue about the disposition of the Norwegian fleet
speaks volumes.
Hard to think he is the SNP defence
spokesman.
And has been for years!
SNP MP Angus Robertson for Defence Minister
of Scotland!
Piss off!
There are many issues on defence which
remain unanswered by the SNP; would Scotland’s defence forces have the same
equipment as the rest of the UK? In the event of a major conflict, there must
be provision for operational control to come under the command of Westminster.
This would possibly be done under the NATO
umbrella if the UK was subjected to invasion, it is remote, but in war you
can’t have a running discussion about these matters, not when lives are at
stake.
It is true that some aspects of UK
involvement in foreign wars hasn’t been good or productive, the wars in Iraq
and Afghanistan are good examples of bad political decisions.
But there is no guarantee that Scotland
wouldn’t sign up to something similar under whoever the government of the day
would be.
Also a real kicker is that Scotland could
not expect to inherit Scots regiments and military assets.
The UK doesn’t have to hand over the Scots
regiments and it is doubtful that Scottish soldiers will sign up to a Scottish
defence force. Especially when certain elements of the Scottish National Party
are plainly anti British forces and others are also connected to people close to the SNP
leadership!
Which Scottish serviceman will sign up for
Alex Salmond’s army when they read this:
No one!
The new report also provides no comfort or information
for the SNP on possible defence co-operation between the UK and Scotland should
there be a Yes vote.
Nothing of that nature will be discussed
which puts all the pressure on the SNP to produce a credible stand alone strategy,
so far, nothing decent has been published except the rather bizarre notion that
Scottish soldiers can have jobs for life.
That isn’t possible and is entirely
unworkable.
Soldiering is a young man’s game; there
comes an age when the body cannot take it., it is especially hard for combat
soldiers.
In the race to recruit personnel, an independent
Scotland would be in competition with the rest of the UK.
The UK offers more opportunities due to its
size, and is it doubtful that the SNP could have a mini version of the British
structure.
While we wait for the long-awaited Scottish
Government White Paper, we should remember that the tide has now firmly turned
against Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon, they can go through the motions but
in the end, they are fighting a rearguard action.
After 2014, the SNP will be fractured, Alex
Salmond will have lost the Scottish independence referendum and with a Labour
Party making steady gains, it is doubtful many in the party will be best
pleased with his feeble efforts.
The only thing which Alex Salmond and
Nicola Sturgeon need to practice is the formal surrender.
Yours sincerely
George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow
University
2 comments:
Dear George Laird,
You will be aware that over the centuries the Scots have proved a formidable fighting force and have contributed more than our fair share to the British armed services.
You will recall General Wolfe's denigration of the Highland forces serving under him: intrepid but no great mischief if they fall.
Survival in the modern world will not depend on brandishing WMD, but on seeing off the terrorist threat wherever it appears, as happened at Glasgow airport.
Dear Hamish
“You will be aware that over the centuries the Scots have proved a formidable fighting force and have contributed more than our fair share to the British armed services”.
Thank you, do you know the Royal Military Police Training school which was formerly in Chichester, the tuition is first class. I fopondly remember my weapons training instructor Sgt Skabinski, a remarkable man, along with Sgt Kramer and Cpl Scott.
Commanding Officer D E Joyce.
I used to also train up people to go to Sandhurst Officer training College while at Glasgow University, because I was asked to, and wanted the best for the people I taught, as you do, while also remaining a terribly humble Glaswegian pottering about the place.
“You will recall General Wolfe's denigration of the Highland forces serving under him: intrepid but no great mischief if they fall”.
In days gone by the officer class had in some cases little respect for troops.
“Survival in the modern world will not depend on brandishing WMD, but on seeing off the terrorist threat wherever it appears, as happened at Glasgow airport”.
Assumption, you don’t see a threat therefore it doesn’t exist Hamish. You can tell the future? Yes, there is a terrorist threat at present, but there will also be other threats, who would have thought in the 1930’s that we would have seen a second world war by the civilized Western powers?
As to seeing off the threat at Glasgow Airport, the people who were involved as terrorists weren’t professionals, the people who dealt with them were the general public, I won’t bank on that as a stop gap measure.
Yours sincerely
George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University
ps I was the best shot in my squad
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