BigDoddyKane Posted March 11, 2022 Share Posted March 11, 2022 EU membership for Scotland will have to come after another vote on joining the EU sometime after winning an Indy vote. We should be confident enough as a nation to vote for independence to stand on our own 2 feet. Then as an independent nation have votes on whether we want to join the EU and Nato. This is just ny opinion but when I think of why I want indpendence , The EU and any other groups or blocks deosnt come into the equation. They are completely separate things. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BFTD Posted March 11, 2022 Share Posted March 11, 2022 I see "Scott Steiner" is back. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renton Posted March 11, 2022 Share Posted March 11, 2022 7 hours ago, Jedi said: Here's a 'what if'. If Scotland was independent today, and had assumed control of defence, with a small force. presumably similar in number to Ireland (an army which doesn't get involved around the world on the whole), would you be in favour of Scotland contributing arms to Ukraine? I would like to think that an Independent Scotland would be much more welcoming of Ukrainian refugees than the UK has been (and am sure it would be). Not sure why Ireland would necessarily be the model for Scotland. Norway or Denmark offer reasonable alternatives for a Scottish military. Both are NATO members who have offered engagement in out of area NATO activities. For me a notional Scottish military is one who's primary concern is the high North and GIUK gap. As such, it would be built around persistent maritime surveillance and strike as well as a land brigade capable of reinforcing Norway/Iceland. That would mean Scotland could build some niche capabilities that would be genuinely useful to international partners in the North Atlantic region for a reasonable budget. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renton Posted March 11, 2022 Share Posted March 11, 2022 (edited) 10 hours ago, Jedi said: Defence, security and energy will be the issues which dominate politics over the next few years now, as a new Iron Curtain comes down. Worst possible situation for a 2nd Ref, as defence would be the biggest question now, bigger even than currency, economics, rejoining the EU, pensions, etc. This solidifies a No vote, and pushes the undecided towards having to remain part of a common defence area with the UK. If a Ref were held later this year, or next, I reckon the result would be around 60-40% No. Who would have thought that Putin would be the one to knock a 2nd Ref on the head. The SNP's only bet now is to push for FFA and devolve everything apart from defence and foreign policy. Defence is not a topic that is easy to keep at the top of a given agenda. Even during the Cold War the UK still had an almost perpetually declining defence budget if looked at over decades. As soon as there isn't a lot of hot, heavy metal flying around minds quickly re-focus on the things government could be spending on rather than heavily armed machinery parked somewhere not being used. I do agree that "security" as a broader concept will play a much larger role than the far off days of 2014. Particularly national resilience and energy security. Energy security is a fairly obvious concept but resilience is a wee bit more wooly. Basically any form of security in the "grey zone" below actual conflict. It can be how resilient infrastructure is to cyber attack, or if a nation has the necessary abilities to meet a national crisis (without getting in the army every 5 minutes) or how secure its import markets are, or its general food security or even, y'know.... its ability to respond to something like a pandemic. Energy security is a strong point for the Indy side thanks to consistent advocacy for Green energy, broader national resilience is more of a mixed bag though given the UK government is only really waking up to these concepts itself, they aren't on a particularly strong footing. Scotland can, for example call on a large workforce of programmers and engineers which would put us in a reasonable position to secure national infrastructure against cyber attack, we have a broad primary sector for food security, as well. Within the UK we are probably one of the few net exporters and have a reasonably broad economy. One of the burgeoning sectors you'd want the Pro Indy side to talk about is securing the future of the Scottish space sector which could be a large hi-tech earner going forward For other stuff like pandemic control which will likely be a live issue Going deeper into the 21st century you obviously risk getting into a slug fest around individual decisions over the last 2 years but providing resilience for the health service is vital, and an honest conversation that needs to happen. Edited March 11, 2022 by renton 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jedi Posted March 11, 2022 Share Posted March 11, 2022 Excellent post Renton. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sophia Posted March 11, 2022 Share Posted March 11, 2022 3 hours ago, BFTD said: I see "Scott Steiner" is back. On 09/03/2022 at 22:07, sophia said: Stunned that obnoxious republican mentions Z yeomanry Spotted on Trump thread 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Lambies Doos Posted March 11, 2022 Share Posted March 11, 2022 EU membership for Scotland will have to come after another vote on joining the EU sometime after winning an Indy vote. We should be confident enough as a nation to vote for independence to stand on our own 2 feet. Then as an independent nation have votes on whether we want to join the EU and Nato. This is just ny opinion but when I think of why I want indpendence , The EU and any other groups or blocks deosnt come into the equation. They are completely separate things.Oh and let's not forget the vote to get rid of the Royal Parasites too... 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingRocketman II Posted March 11, 2022 Share Posted March 11, 2022 11 hours ago, BFTD said: I see "Scott Steiner" is back. allow me to be the first. I have met Goomba and Scott Steiner both in person and I can confirm that they are not the same poster..... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antlion Posted March 11, 2022 Share Posted March 11, 2022 2 hours ago, KingRocketman II said: allow me to be the first. I have met Goomba and Scott Steiner both in person and I can confirm that they are not the same poster..... Stormfront or Santander (or whatever it was) too? You’ve had a tough time of it. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grazza Posted March 12, 2022 Share Posted March 12, 2022 In terms of defence would expect something proportionally like Denmark or Norway within NATO, short term keep existing arrangements and then as others have said find a niche role that compliments neighbours. The EU first things first the main thing is close alignment to the single market. The monarchy I would like to see go, will be interesting how the hysteria is when the the Queen dies. It needs to be made clear what head of state system we are replacing them with. I think such a vote would need to be at least a decade after independence. Really I think once Australia or Canada becomes a republic then that will start a chain effect. A ceremonial democratically voted head of state would be my choice with a maximum of 2 full terms and I would say the same for a prime minister (2 election wins plus half term if they took over when predecessor resigns). Hopefully Proportion representation in the parliament would remain so we have checks and balances. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenneth840 Posted March 12, 2022 Share Posted March 12, 2022 On 06/03/2022 at 10:10, Lex said: Spot on. The SNP don’t want a referendum, they used COVID as an excuse before and now they’ll use this war as an excuse. It’s over. Sadly I have to be real here and agree with you. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MONKMAN Posted March 12, 2022 Share Posted March 12, 2022 Why do all the Alba roasters persist with the claim that the SNP don’t want independence? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BFTD Posted March 12, 2022 Share Posted March 12, 2022 11 minutes ago, MONKMAN said: Why do all the Alba roasters persist with the claim that the SNP don’t want independence? They've no reason to exist otherwise. Other than genital inspection, obviously. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albus Bulbasaur Posted March 18, 2022 Share Posted March 18, 2022 (edited) tick tock... Edited March 18, 2022 by Albus Bulbasaur 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BFTD Posted March 18, 2022 Share Posted March 18, 2022 Don't think you're getting the hang of this "tick tock" thing, mate. Even if that's correct, it's 2% up on the last vote. Tick tock. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albus Bulbasaur Posted March 18, 2022 Share Posted March 18, 2022 2 minutes ago, BFTD said: Don't think you're getting the hang of this "tick tock" thing, mate. Even if that's correct, it's 2% up on the last vote. Tick tock. I don't think you get it... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sophia Posted March 18, 2022 Share Posted March 18, 2022 14 minutes ago, Albus Bulbasaur said: I don't think you get it... What you got the last time was banned for your risible level of posting. Any way you cut it, it is a 50/50 split. To claim otherwise is a point fatuously made 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albus Bulbasaur Posted March 18, 2022 Share Posted March 18, 2022 https://www.thenational.scot/news/20003556.scottish-independence-ukraine-war-influences-voters-referendum-planning-says-poll/ Remarkable that the National are running with this story. No support for Indy and no support for a referendum in the first place must make for awkward reading for some people. Perhaps we can put this nonsense in the past now and look forward as a nation. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antlion Posted March 18, 2022 Share Posted March 18, 2022 3 minutes ago, Albus Bulbasaur said: https://www.thenational.scot/news/20003556.scottish-independence-ukraine-war-influences-voters-referendum-planning-says-poll/ Remarkable that the National are running with this story. No support for Indy and no support for a referendum in the first place must make for awkward reading for some people. Perhaps we can put this nonsense in the past now and look forward as a nation. Nonsense? That explains why so many countries are moving past it and seeking dependence. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stellaboz Posted March 18, 2022 Share Posted March 18, 2022 How long before you Storm off in a huff again Stormzy? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.