Scottish independence: Scots are focussed on the economy case and currency, but take a minute and ask yourself, do you really trust Alex Salmond and unpopular Nicola Sturgeon to protect the Nation’s security, Salmond hasn’t support the world view that military action is required in Iraq, honestly how more pathetic can he get?

Dear All

Awhile ago, I was part of a BBC independence debate audience hosted by Gordon Brewer. The subject of Iraq was aired on the programme, the panel although saying it was terrible wasn’t really up on military matters. Anyway Gordon Brewer asked me straight out did I support military action in Iraq as the issue of airstrikes was discussed.

I immediately replied yes, but done tactically.

I also added that what was needed a return of allied forces on the ground. A few days later David Cameron came out and said that ISIS represented a threat to British National security, about a week after that President Obama said about 300 advisors were getting sent to Iraq. Patently that is a drop in the bucket, it doesn’t provide the security that the Iraqi people deserve and should rightly expect.

In a nutshell, the allied forces were pulled out too soon before the country was totally stable in both terms of governance and internal security, there was a vacuum in which ISIS was allowed to exploit to their advantage.      

And a lot of innocent people died, murdered by the militant organisation.

In a week, Scotland votes in the referendum, aside from the economic case which is important, other issues are equally important to Scots, security and defence, you could also chuck in foreign affairs. At present these issues are reserved to Westminster, but if Scotland became independence, the Scottish Government would deal directly with these matters.

David Cameron has been saying that Britain is preparing to take military action against Islamic State. That is more or less the Westminster view which all other parties will be signing up to, although the Labour Party and Lib Dems are said to favour political and diplomatic options included in the mix.

So, what is the position of Alex Salmond?

It appears he is reluctant to give his views on military action. In the past the Scottish National Party has famously been backward in foreign affairs policy. Alex Salmond described Nato’s action in bombing of Serbia in 1999 as “unpardonable folly” and of “dubious legality”. That intervention by Nato was something I supported at the time in order to save innocent people who were being massacred.

Opps!

The ‘fountain of all knowledge’ was badly out of touch then, just as they are at present, the SNP do domestic politics, they don’t do Westminster or international politics well. As to getting an answer of a positive on military action, I think people shouldn’t hold their breath on that one from Alex Salmond and the SNP. Quite simply, the SNP on foreign affairs are a joke, you cannot take them seriously.

And I don’t!

Yours sincerely

George Laird

The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University