I have a meeting today in London with the Ambassadors of Venezuela, Bolivia, Cuba, Nicaragua and Ecuador to brief them on Scotland’s continuing struggle for Independence. These nations have been at the forefront of the international movement against colonialism, and know all about the sharp end of neo-Imperialism and the evil-doing of the CIA and other western security agencies.
The test of the Independence of a state is nothing to do with domestic or regional government, or even with bilateral arrangements with the state from which it secedes. The test of Independence is, purely and simply, whether or not you are recognised by other states as independent. That is the very clear cut position in international law. For this reason, it is essential that Scotland reaches out, not just within the EU but to the entire international community. Ultimately we need these people to vote and lobby for us in the United Nations and other international institutions.
Frankly, the SNP is rubbish at this. I am doing this meeting because the hierarchy of the SNP spurned the approach from the Ambassadors, as previously detailed on this blog. This reluctance seems part of the hierarchy’s effort to be NATO friendly and thus CIA friendly. The Ambassadors would far rather be meeting with an official SNP representative than a nobody like me. Unfortunately the SNP won’t do it. That is a disgrace.
I can increasingly foresee, as Westminster governments move ever further to the right and encroach more and more on civil liberties, a situation arising where Scotland wishes to claim its independence without the consent of Westminster. In that situation, we will need all the international support we can get, just as the Palestinians have been making headway in UN institutions. Work needs to be put now into laying the foundations for that support. Personally I would characterise Scottish Independence as an anti-colonial struggle; use of Scots as British cannon fodder and integration of the Scots elite into the Metropolitan elite does not make Scotland any less a colony. Rome had san African Emperor, but still her African possessions were colonies.
But even for those who do not accept that analysis, there is no doubt that Scottish Independence would have a highly beneficial impact on the global balance of power. The weakening of the USA’s most powerful sidekick; the lessening of the UK’s ability to participate in illegal neo-imperial invasions and to host weapons of mass destruction; the re-opening of the question of the undemocratic Security Council structure at the UN.
Then there is also the positive role Scotland can play as a major contributor to UN Peacekeeping Forces, and a voice for sanity, reason, human rights and the pre-eminence of international law. An independent Scotland as a state party will be able to request the International Criminal Court to lay war crime charges against Blair and Straw for the illegal invasion of Iraq, which would be a powerful deterrent to future aggressive war.
I am but one man and a private individual. Everything I can do, I shall.
“I suspect a fair few nats will be voting Leave in order to hasten the mythical coming of the second referendum. Double bubble.”
Not if they were to stop and think about it.
An independent Scotland with both them and the UK in the EU not too many changes to be seen on the face of it. Still be free trade, freedom of movement, a Scot could go live and work in England just the same as any European can now, come and go as they please.
With Scotland in the EU and the rest of Britain out it would be an entirely different story, the border would be a real border it would have to be. The separatists wouldn’t have a hope of winning a referendum and they know it.
CanSpeccy initiating his own MAD strategy complete with carpet-bombing diatribe designed to disturb the equilibrium of Statism. Not too far removed from the Anarcho/Socialists we admire for their stiff resistance. Must have discovered a Viagra discount on his physician’s bonus statement.
@ Ben-Sweden, etc., etc., etc.
CanSpeccy initiating his own MAD strategy complete with carpet-bombing diatribe designed to disturb the equilibrium of Statism…
I knew it was good, but I hadn’t realized my comment had risen to such a height of eloquence, impact and strategic brilliance. But “carpet-bombing diatribes designed to disturb the equilibrium of statism, “what’s it mean?
“Of more interest here is Nevermind’s obvious hatred of England, evident in every one of his posts. One wonders why he lives here.”
Firstly I do not hate England, merely compare its feeble and ancient rituals to that of a modern more open society.
It is too hard to fathom the minion who want to sound of popular party politics they don’t understand, but have no intentions of ever asking/demanding a fair proportional system, they are genetic masochists who are programmed to duff their caps, sing patriotic songs, whilst clapping to the fraud and money laundering in the City of London.
Liking people does not preclude that one likes the system or prevailing attitudes that are planned by the MSM and the establishment to bamboozle the masses.
Why should my person be of interest to anyone, Anon1, oh wondrous one, why would one want to be interested in the opinion of a sixty year old immigrant that fell in love with an english rose?
Your Mutti is not my Mutti and if you think your fascist declarations of a fourth Reich here, smearing a perfectly peaceful nation with its past, cuts any curd with anyone but a right wing Tory/kipper you are mistaken.
Whatever you might wish of me, my family is mostly English and we live in Europe, a fact you seemingly do not get.
Here’s a thought, if Scotland declared UDI and seceded from the UK of GB and NI. They would need to apply for membership of the EU as a separate entity. What are the chances of Scotland gaining membership with the precedent that they had just set, which would effect so many other separative movements in Europe? Hell Spain alone has 16 separatists movements https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_active_separatist_movements_in_Europe Spain and many others would block accession, rightly fearing chaos in their state.
Anon1; “Of more interest here is Nevermind’s obvious hatred of England”
Yes,you yourself are such a Patriot, that when asked whetever your primary loyalty is to Israel or England, chose to refuse to answer ! LOL !! 😀
It looks like the establishment support Brexit:
“Kensington Palace has blamed European red tape for preventing the Duke of Cambridge carrying out more royal duties.”
“Palace sources claimed that Civil Aviation Authority rules on rest periods, which are handed down from Brussels, mean the Duke is banned from doing any sort of work on some of his rest days, including carrying out royal duties.”
“A royal source said the Duke was restricted in the number of royal engagements he could carry out because “there are mandatory rest days enforced by the CAA, when you’re not meant to go off and do other work because it’s not rest”.
(Telegraph)
…………………………………………………………………………………..
However, the CAA rubbished the excuse, saying pilots could do what they wanted on rest days, even including paid employment, as long as it did not involve flying aircraft.
“When they are having rest days their time is their own, and they can do what they want, including carrying out royal duties.”
Was it Churchill that said “A lie gets halfway around the world before truth gets its pants on?”
If Scotland were to gain independence, is there any realistic prospect that it would then be immune to global capitalism? The fetishisation of illusory growth, growing inequality, rising unemployment coupled with insecurity for those still employed? Squandering resources and destroying our habitat? I wonder. I think it would be a case of ‘meet the new boss. Same as the old boss’; that is, the usurers.
Similarly Brexit. All independence would give anyone is a slim chance of changing things for the better. But this, thanks to the vested interests involved, and their powers of coercion, isn’t a chance which is likely to be taken.
I’m glad you managed to get some diplomats together, Craig. But I would point out that Cuba is sooner rather than later going to be looking for corporate investment, and that means Western banks. And it’s not the only one…
http://www.aurorabeachfront.com/nicaragua/why-nicaragua.php
Just saying.
The Tory Clowns today have dropped the currency by 1.7%, enormous,rare, it will make any small vacation so much dearer. How much longer are the people around Osborne and Cameron allowed to cause uncertainty in this highly strung chimera, the City of London?
If the prospect of Brexit gives the currency speculators diarrhoea, then it might be a good idea to leave, eh? Only joking. The cost of your small holiday would depend just as much on people in the City gambling with other peoples’ money as it does now, possibly more so.
How much longer are the people around Osborne and Cameron allowed to cause uncertainty in this highly strung chimera, the City of London?
Indefinitely. Their chums can profit from falls just as easily as rises in market prices. Not a problem. And, thanks to Thatcher, if we cut the City loose, what else have we got? We’re running a huge offshore scam, and it’s highly lucrative if you have a lot of money to play with. If you don’t, then, obviously, you can FOAD, plebs.
Doug Scorgie: “Was it Churchill that said “A lie gets halfway around the world before truth gets its pants on?””
No, far too pithy for Churchill. That quote comes from Samuel Clemens, aka Mark Twain.
The test of Independence is, purely and simply, whether or not you are recognised by other states as independent. That is the very clear cut position in international law.
Euh, no it’s not. Technically, recognition is not included in any of the three core Montevideo prongs:
– Territory;
– Population;
– Sovereignty;
To be fair, it is often added as a de facto fourth prong, but that’s still not the same as making it the only test, at least not at law. For example, there seems to be a clear legal argument that states like Somaliland and Daesh are sovereign states, while the Palestinian Authority is not. (Which, to be clear, does not mean it doesn’t have international legal personality. The Holy See and the Order of Malta aren’t sovereign states (anymore) either.)
Politics is another matter, but that’s not what the claim is about.
As for “Scotland’s continuing struggle for Independence”, who is this “Scotland” you speak of? To the extent that Scotland is the Scottish People – and who else could it be – they are clearly not struggling for anything.
O/T In the other news whilst falling off my dinosaur, I find Reuters and the rest of the “news agencies” are busy revisiting 1980 and have dug up the Salmon Rushdie death thing again after forty years!!!!
This time claiming that the “media” (in Iran) are busy putting up more money for Salmon to be killed!!! Note it is the same “media” that are giving heel to Rohani and Hashemi and their sponsors (UK) in the current on going elections in Iran, subjecting these lovies to a rough time!!!
Fact that why on Earth ISIS/ISIL/DAESH has not jumped onto the band wagon declaring war on Salmon is a mystery? But hey these days we all know who are these terrorists support network, don’t we? So no surprise there.
Fact that the Iranian media in these elections are dishing the dirt out on improprieties committed in setting up contacts for billions of dollars and the patently lamentable conduct of the current Iranian government that Iranians find unacceptable and are clambering for the impeachment and all manner of punishments for the relevant oligarchs, could have a slight impact on the decision to publish the story. The notion being of course needs for containment; through targeting the relevant media that is at the vanguard of such unsavoury activities during the elections there in Iran.
The dumb plebs won’t know why or what for, so the Western Oligarchs think, but it is not the Westerners who are voting in Iran, it is the Iranians and troubles is they are switched on and don’t much care about this kind of mud slinging.
Note the headline;
http://uk.reuters.com/article/us-iran-rushdie-idUKKCN0VV1TI
“Britain’s” now I have seen it all!!!
also O/T. one of the main problems of wind energy are windy days and too much electricity flowing into the network, causing overload and blackout. Now they are planning to sink hollow concrete balls on to the sea bed. These are being pumped out via a two way turbine as the wind is blowing hard, and if they have to be governed down due to storm conditions, these now empty balls let in the water under high pressure and create energy.
not a bad idea for a battery of sorts.
http://www.spiegel.de/wissenschaft/technik/forschung-pumpspeicher-am-meeresgrund-sollen-windstrom-puffern-a-1078397.html
Uphill @ 22 Feb, 2016 – 9:55 pm
Thanks for posting the lecture by Prof. Guy Standing – “Why The Future Needs A Basic Guaranteed Income”
I nearly gave up on it, because the introduction in German that lasts for 5 minutes – and the highly annoying camera crew – give no hint about the very interesting lecture about to start in English.
This should chop off the intro.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3cGKSxhFdI&feature=youtu.be&t=290
Scotland’s territory is mainly colonized by the landed establishment lot. This lot are threatening to offer short term tenancies ONLY (even tho this is happening in many places already)to farmers if they do not get their way in land reform negotiations.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/SNP/12102558/Landowners-threaten-legal-action-over-SNP-farmer-laws.html
“With Scotland in the EU and the rest of Britain out it would be an entirely different story, the border would be a real border it would have to be. The separatists wouldn’t have a hope of winning a referendum and they know it.”
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Always the pessimist Fred, during the Scottish referendum we were promised the 38th Parallel, between the borders of Scotland and England razor wire and Stasi like guards, asking in a Nazi style voice…”Vwhat iz your name.”
You forget Fred both governments would want to make it as easy as possible for cross-border trading to continue.
I’d forsee a Norway-Sweden style arrangement as a blueprint.
But I’m sure negative scaremongers like yourself will see it differently.
Also Ireland would come into the trade equation as well.
A very interesting post. I’m a Yank and don’t understand the fine details of the Scots independence movement, but the trajectory seems obvious enough….
Now, perhaps I misunderstand, but it seems that in the late 1940s/early 1950s, when the British economy was flat on its back and much dependent on the USA, yet the UK tried to maintain an independent foreign policy(if not a smart one)or at least one that was distinguishable. These days, Britain, in foreign policy at least, seems content to behave like a colony of the US, hardly more independent that Puerto Rico, or perhaps Canada before the Statute of Westminster of 1931. It is hard to see how any humans benefit from this, except perhaps the top managers of BAE, RR, etc. Independence movements are obviously not panaceas, and often enough have gone terribly wrong, but Scotland seems to have pretty solid political institutions. One may hope….
Craig wrote:
Ba’al Zevul wrote:
Interestingly enough, John Perkins, author of the 2004 NY Times bestseller Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, explains in a recently released updated version of his book, The New Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, that since his first tome came out in 2004, the hit men and jackals (i.e. assassins) have not simply retired to play shuffleboard and checkers in retirement homes or to lives of leisure in sunny climes. Instead, they are as hard at work as ever bribing, threatening and arm twisting politicians and sowing economic mayhem and social unrest in any country with a president or pm silly enough to believe that he/she has a right to construct an independent foreign/monetary/domestic policy regardless of the corporatocracy’s and/or Washington’s wishes.
From a recent review by PC Roberts:
Good for martinned, bringing up the Montevideo Convention! However martinned distorts the meaning of the convention so read it yourself.
http://www.cfr.org/sovereignty/montevideo-convention-rights-duties-states/p15897
The key point: The primary interest of states is the conservation of peace. This is precisely the issue on which the UK forefeits sovereignty to a Scottish people committed to their right to peace. Negotiated nuclear disarmament, including but not limited to Trident, is a peremptory norm, in accordance with ICJ judgments. As long as Trident exists, Scotland’s self-determination requires an independent foreign policy to oppose it.
Martinned also characteristically forgets that the Montevideo Convention precedes and is conditioned by the UN Charter. The UN member nations’ millenium summit commissioned the Secretary General to set out criteria for state sovereignty. Sovereignty is responsibility: at a minimum, compliance with the UN Charter, the International Bill of Human Rights, and the Rome Statute. The British regime used force in Iraq in manifest breach of the UN Charter. It is derogating ICCPR and ICESCR rights. It has proved unwilling or unable to curb impunity for acquiescence to torture and for aggression. In so doing Britain has lost full sovereignty under the doctrine of Responsibility to Protect (Implementing the Responsibility to Protect.) To achieve sovereignty, Scotland need only assume its responsibility.
“You forget Fred both governments would want to make it as easy as possible for cross-border trading to continue.”
Presuming there is anything left in Scotland to trade. I see Scottish Widows has moved their registered headquarters to London.
If Berwick is the border not just with Scotland but with Europe then not only England but aso Europe will be keen to guard it.
“Presuming there is anything left in Scotland to trade. I see Scottish Widows has moved their registered headquarters to London.”
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As per usual Fred, you don’t mention important factors such as the 3000 workforce in Scotland won’t be affected.
Even the filthy unionist rag the anti-Scotsman newspaper reports that.
http://www.scotsman.com/business/companies/financial/scottish-widows-shifts-insurance-business-from-edinburgh-to-london-1-4035769
Grotius minor thank for that very interesting link.
With a name like Grotius, you surely must have knowledge of international laws?
“As per usual Fred, you don’t mention important factors such as the 3000 workforce in Scotland won’t be affected.”
I said their registered offices, where the company is registered, where they pay tax, which country’s GDP they contribute to.
” Scottish Widows said the move would not affect its 3,000-strong workforce in Edinburgh. ”
Yes and we’ve heard that before.
Kempe, Fred.
Well if the jobs do go which they haven’t yet, then investment in other sectors will be required.
M Nicola Sturgeon announced the £70 million investment (Monday). The funding, including £30 million from the European Regional Development Fund, will enable companies to capture new opportunities presented by a move to a more circular economy.
“A Manufacturing Future for Scotland” is a new strategy for manufacturing, which outlines how government will work with industry and with higher and further education institutions to stimulate innovation, improve productivity and increase investment in Scottish manufacturing in order that it can better compete globally.
Manufacturing represents more than half of Scotland’s international exports and investment in research and development, with nearly 190,000 people employed in the industry.
“Yes,you yourself are such a Patriot, that when asked whetever your primary loyalty is to Israel or England, chose to refuse to answer ! LOL !!”
I don’t recall being asked such a question, but of course it is to Britain.
Grotius minor perhaps it would be fitting for you to also state the developers name and aim too, along with your moniker.
Thanks for sharing your talents and the thought provoking, cogent argument you have forwarded, and backed it up with further reading.
Martinned
Thank you for returning – always good to read someone who doesn’t have a dog in this fight and who knows what he’s talking about.
Not convinced (to put it mildly) by Grotius minor’s argument.
““Yes,you yourself are such a Patriot, that when asked whetever your primary loyalty is to Israel or England, chose to refuse to answer ! LOL !!”
I don’t recall being asked such a question, but of course it is to Britain.”
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I too don’t remember anyone asking that question of Anon1.
Anyway, now that Anon1 has answered the question he was never asked – it was gracious of him, given the provocation – perhaps Macky could answer mine, which is: Macky, is your primary loyalty to the UK or to Putin’s Russia? 🙂
A short answer will do, no rants please.