Wonderful move by Salmond. Absolutely wonderful.

It's the first time in my life I've felt proud of a politician representing my country's affairs on a world stage (of course, it has never happened before now).

Salmond is making Scotland a nation again.

Rejoice.

Love him or loathe him, you've got to admire his audacity.

He is most definitely putting Scotland on the world map, and he is most definitely sticking up for Scotland's interests.

Ohhhh, how the Unionists must HATE him.

As for those clowns at the Scotland Office, do they really believe we are so stupid as to believe that the FM is seeking an alliance with North Korea or Iran?

Stop treating us with contempt, we've finally started to wake up to the lies.

Onwards and upwards, Scotland!!

It's about time Scotlands voice was heard on this, and other issues.

It has been demonstrated time and again that U.K. ministers do not always have Scotlands best interests at the top of their agenda, and have, on occasion, knowingly acted AGAINST the best interests of Scotland in favour of advancing their own political agendas.

Thank goodness we now have a Scottish Government that will ACTIVELY fight for Scotland and in Prime Minister Salmond a leader that fears not those "incredulous" UK Ministers.

Even here in Canada we now feel some hope for the
world thanks to Alec Salmond.

"Salmond bid for seat at UN"

Such a headline must sit alongside others involving ursine digestive tract movements and the faith of the Bishop of Rome.

EXCLUSIVE: SNP has policy of independence!

"The move comes after MSPs at the Scottish Parliament urged the UK Government to ditch its plans to renew Trident by 71 votes to 16." - Presumably, many of the 71 were "loony left "Labour MSPs too?

"He should be funding 1,000 extra police officers and sorting out the mess over free personal care." - Aye, cancel the whole replacement project and we can afford all that - and more!!

#1 Salmond doesnt represent a country he represents a region and possibly a nation. Check your passport if you are confused. This is embarassing for us here in Scotland. Foreign policy is a reserved matter, end of story. The UN is as likely to let the mayor of Kelso attend as they are Salmond.

Oh, and someone should remind Michael Matheson that there is no Scottish Government. just a Scottish office. Changing the letterhead and the name on the outside of the building does not make one a country.

Question, would the UN let say.. Vermont, or Bavaria or Cote d'Azur have observer status ? Dont think so. Scotland is no different.

#7 "Salmond doesnt represent a country he represents a region and possibly a nation."

Imagine that? Wanting to represent your nation at the United, er, Nations. Whoduthotit?

"Check your passport if you are confused."

Why? Is it imbued with some sort of magic powers that make me something else?

Do tell me what passports the Ukranians and Belrussians used to attend as General Assembly meetings before 1991?

Can you answer that?

"This is embarassing for us here in Scotland."

Who is this "us" you speak on behalf of?

"Foreign policy is a reserved matter, end of story."

So why are you even writing about it if it can only be talked about by those in Westminster?

"The UN is as likely to let the mayor of Kelso attend as they are Salmond."

Mayor? Oops. Bit of a slip there.

Good stuff again.We suppose english won't like it but english knows where the outhouse is.
Long past time where Scotland should be head on the world stage.

"A Scotland Office source added: "For Alex Salmond to seek an alliance with Iran and South Korea is an unpardonable folly"."

uhh... _South_ Korea?

#7

A region of where?

My passport only says Britain.

Britain as in SCOTLAND; ENGLAND, WALES AND NORTHERN IRELAND:

HA ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

Have you seen the Council Tax Freeze story, Mr Mc Sprog????

I recommend you to have a look....

I had doubts about Alex Salmond but this has placed him with the ancients. Scotland has traditionaly been a peacefull nation - not attacking but defending its own.
Thanks Alex for returning another bit of Scotland's heritidge.

#13

"Scotland has traditionaly been a peacefull nation"

My dear Parallax, Scotland has been one of the most traditionally ultra-violent war-like nations on earth.

What on earth are you talking about?

keep dreaming Nats, for in your dreams is as close as you will get to the UN.

"Oh, and someone should remind Michael Matheson that there is no Scottish Government."

What's this then?

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/

"..just a Scottish office."

Totally seperate organisation and now called the Scotland Office.

http://www.scotlandoffice.gov.uk/

"Changing the letterhead and the name on the outside of the building does not make one a country."

What does then?

"Question, would the UN let say.. Vermont, or Bavaria or Cote d'Azur have observer status ? Dont think so. Scotland is no different."

So why do they let the PLO and the tiny Sovereign Military Order of Malta?

Why do they let the Caribbean Community which includes Montserrat - a British Overseas Territory?

Why do they let the Cook Islands and Niue be members of UN agencies such as WHO and UNESCO, and also be signatories of international treaties such as the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Why did they let Belarus, India, the Philippines, and Ukraine be founding members even before they were independent?

Any answers to those questions and to why Scotland is somehow incapable?

#16 "yes I have seen the council tax story, I have also seen the 1000 new policemen story. Fat Alex should stop trying to pose on the world stage and solve Scotlands non glamourous yet important problems that exist right here at home."

So you agree that £25 billion should be spent on problems that exist right here at home rather than on nuclear weapons?

So what's your problem with Salmond pointing this up?

A refresher for the Nats, you still seemed confused about the whole Nation/State thing:

Let's start with what defines a State or an independent country. An independent State:
Has space or territory which has internationally recognized boundaries (boundary disputes are OK).
Has people who live there on an ongoing basis.
Has economic activity and an organized economy. A country regulates foreign and domestic trade and issues money.
Has the power of social engineering, such as education.
Has a transportation system for moving goods and people.
Has a government which provides public services and police power.
Has sovereignty. No other State should have power over the country's territory.
Has external recognition. A country has been "voted into the club" by other countries.
There are currently 192 independent countries or States around the world. Territories of countries or individual parts of a country are not countries in their own right.
Examples of entities that are not countries include: Hong Kong, Bermuda, Greenland, Puerto Rico, and most notably the constituent parts of the United Kingdom. (Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland, and England are not countries.)

Brilliant, just brilliant. Thank you Alex.
Given that the majority of MSPs and Scots MPs support the motion not to have trident replaced we should see Foulkes and Alexander standing up and congratulating Alex on another excellent strategy.
They just can't keep up with him he is a total breath of fresh air in Scotland.

#15 "keep dreaming Nats, for in your dreams is as close as you will get to the UN."

Were you one of those people who used to say the SNP would never win an election and never be in Government as well?

By the way, why do you think Scotland is so incapable of being a UN member when so many others have become so?

Are you saying Scotland is somehoe unique in being incapable of achieving things others can?

This macSprog fellow is a buffoon, the 'provost' of his Anglicised wee mad world.

the de-frocked David Cairns calling the SNP 'loony left', Oh David, I thought they were meant to be 'Tartan Tories', so I guess that makes Labour the New Republicans?

17
"Oh, and someone should remind Michael Matheson that there is no Scottish Government."

What's this then?

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/

Thats a website created by the SNP. The official legal name is still "The Scottish Executive"

Pretend all you like, it does not change reality. Scotland is a region of the United Kingdom and always will be.

#9 - Well said.

I find the comments left by "Jock MacSprog" akin to the utterances of some medieval theatrical vice whose only purpose is to be a foil to all that is good and positive. That - or a wind up merchant.

Part of the brief of "First Minister" is to represent Scotland on the international stage, and trident is certainly an issue where the will of the Scottish people AND Scottish politicians, both MSPs AND Mps is not being fairly reflected.

MacSprog - toys oot the pram.

'There are CURRENTLY 192 independent countries or States around the world.

How many 10 years ago?
How many 10 years from now?

I personally will think of you when Scotland takes its place, and how anti-Scots like you will react.

Oh yawn, yawn snore, snore - yes Jock McSproag tries and fails dismally to hijack this story. Well done again Alex Salmond for standing up for your country unlike lickspittles like JMcS!

#19 and apart from in your own head and now on this forum where else is this definition accepted?

"Has space or territory which has internationally recognized boundaries (boundary disputes are OK). "

Tick.

http://www.un.org/Depts/los/LEGISLATIONANDTREATIES/PDFFIL...

"Has people who live there on an ongoing basis."

So does my flat.

"Has economic activity and an organized economy. A country regulates foreign and domestic trade and issues money."

So France, Germany etc are no longer countries?

"Has the power of social engineering, such as education. "

So Gordonstoun is a country?

"Has a transportation system for moving goods and people."

So the English Channel is a country?

"Has a government which provides public services and police power."

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/

"Has sovereignty. No other State should have power over the country's territory."

So how come Belarus, India, the Philippines, and Ukraine were UN members when other states had power over them?

"Has external recognition. A country has been "voted into the club" by other countries."

Like Montserrat in the Carribean Community. Or Quebec in le Francophonie?

"There are currently 192 independent countries or States around the world."

No. There are 192 members of the UN General Assembly.

"Territories of countries or individual parts of a country are not countries in their own right."

So Bermuda is part of which country?

"Examples of entities that are not countries include: Hong Kong, Bermuda, Greenland, Puerto Rico, and most notably the constituent parts of the United Kingdom. (Northern Ireland, Wales

"What's this then?

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/

Thats a website created by the SNP."

The SNP don't own .gov websites.

"The official legal name is still "The Scottish Executive""

So you'll be calling Gordon Brown the First Lord
of the Treasury then?

"Pretend all you like, it does not change reality. Scotland is a region of the United Kingdom and always will be."

Always? Does the UK have some eternal properties I'm not aware of that can make it survive flood, earthquake and super nova?

Oh and you have answered none of my questions.

Care to do so?

Jack MacSprog

Read this and weep:

http://news.scotsman.com/politics.cfm?id=1678852007#comme...

ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

ha ha ah ha ha ha

ha ha

ha

#19

So, according to those criteria, are you saying that England isn't an independent or soveriegn state?

Or does it only apply to Scotland?

David Cairns - "He [Salmond] should be funding 1,000 extra police officers and sorting out the mess over free personal care."

So does David Cairns not think £25 billion would be better spent on police officers and free personal care rather than nuclear weapons?

"Instead he seeks to cavort across the world stage with his discredited looney left policies."

Oh this is going to be fun. I wonder what these looney lefties will think of him calling them that:

Anne Begg (Aberdeen South)
Katy Clark (Ayrshire North & Arran)
Michael Connarty (Linlithgow & Falkirk East)
Ian Davidson (Glasgow South West)
Jim Devine (Livingston)
Frank Doran (Aberdeen North)
Nigel Griffiths (Edinburgh South)
David Hamilton (Midlothian)
Mark Lazarowicz (Edinburgh North & Leith)
James McGovern (Dundee West)
Ann McKechin (Glasgow North)
David Marshall (Glasgow East)
Sandra Osborne (Ayr Carrick & Cumnock)
Mohammad Sarwar (Glasgow Central)
Gavin Strang (Edinburgh East)

Yes. All the Labour MPs who voted against renewing Trident.

I don't think Alex has a mandate for this. What's he going to do next? Invade Poland?

It's actually treason but I don't think anyone can be bothered to make a martyr out of him.

#30. Of course England isn't an independent sovereign state (just like Scotland).

Just goes to show what I've said all along that Holyrood should be closed down. Scotland should get a referendum on independence immediately but if it chooses to stay within the UK then it's Westminster rule from now on. Enough of this tin-pot nonsense from Salmond.

Mr. Salmond,

We support you whole heartedly.

Question 1: Why does anyone think the UN is some holier-than-thou body worth bothering about?
Who with any sense cares?!??!? It is an organization that should be scrapped and an international body, made up of democratic governments, formed.
Unfortunately, like the EU it is riddled with corruption(not to mention abuse of women and children in Africa and Eastern Europe), unaccountability (has anyone ever been held accountable for anything - or audited?) and is a gravy train for those involved (remember Kofi Annan ?!??!)
I fear it is an idealistic body that people want to be there, rather than what it actually is.
As for the EU - a gravy train for ex-Labour politicians ((think Lord (anti House of Lords until it suited him) Kinnock and family)- and the dreadful Mandelsson). A body full of faceless bureaucrats with their noses in the trough.
Question 2: Re Trident: What would happen if Al Qaeda got hold of a Pakistan nuclear submarine and sailed it up the Thames ? Do you think that, in this day and age, if we are seen to be weak and be nice and peaceloving and kind that everything will be okay? Are you mad? Au contraire: Having Trident in Scotland isn't a bad thing!

Royster - it is really quite entertaining reading Jack Mcsprog and yourself carp on about anything positive that the SNP do.

Of course your never ending bleats will make it all the more entertaining when the UN do, as seems likely, grant this status to our government.

SUFFER!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gbrownisamoron

'If Al Qaeda sail a Pakistani Nuclear submarine up the Thames' having nuclear submarines on the Clyde will be about as much use as tits on a bull.

The English want nuclear weapons - let them have them - on the Thames.

What do you think the chances of that happening would be?

#44. I think Salmond is the one who is confused. He is undoubtedly having delusions of grandeur; either that or he has been on the 'shrooms.

Alex - I used to think you were wrong for Scotland. But it was me who was wrong. Good on ye.

The majourity of people in Scotland don't want Trident- in spite of the media's coverage of the issue. At last we have a government (our first) that is willing to stand up for itself.

Labour talk the talk but never walk the walk. Shame on them.

Is there really no limit to the stupidity of the Nu-Lab spokesdrones?

On free care for the elderly we have the Mouth o' the South going out of her way to draw the attention of the public to a piece of monumental incompetence by her previous administration.

On the European referendum we have 'Brainbox' Miliband announcing that referendums are "the refuge of demagogues and dictators" two years after his party issued a manifesto pledge to hold one.

Now David 'Mr Nobody' Cairns (who the hell is he?) is falling @rse over tit to brand 15 of his own party's MSPs 'the loony left'.

Shooting fish in a barrel? This is more a case of standing idly by and watching fish in a barrel shooting themselves...

The cooncil o' Dunoon
They want their haulf a croon
But we dinnae want Polaris
Sorry "Trident"
It's taken a long, long time to get here.

I want to apologise for mentioning the Rev Gordon Browns little jaw drop habit he has at the end of each sentence, please disregard that I mentioned it and don't focuss on it when you see him speaking.
Sorry again.

Why is the Scotland Office picking fights with South Korea??? What have the South Koreans done that the Scottish Office and/or the Scotsman newspaper want to discredit them and discuss in the same light as Iran?

Is it a typo or do the Scottish Labour Office not ken their erse fae their elbow?

This is fantastic. Surely to goodness you would have thought that no Scot - no matter what their political view - could find fault with a leader of a Scottish parliament trying to increase Scotland's say - over what happens in Scotland at the very least - and place in the world?

What is this Scottish cultural cringe (kneejerk/phobia?) that means we can't do that; we'd screw it up; we're only good enough to hide from behind our mammy England's skirt as she talks to the strange men at the door for us.

Fantastic stuff and I hope and genuinely (but maybe incorrectly) think that this kind of thing will be met with pleasure by most Scots, no matter what their vote or politics.

Of course some will continue the cringe.

Jock MacSprog = I Boak = effin' pathetic = let'me'kiss'yerr'errse'london.

#34. Royster

What is with the allusions to Hitler? I thought that kind of ridiculous SNP bashing nonsense went our years ago.

Royster = I Boak = effin' pathetic = let'me'kiss'yerr'errse'london.

Bendy Wendy is shoutin fur hauner's an noo the Wee Malky ur comin to put the boot intae Big Scarey Alex and his young team.

Great move by Alex Salmond, once again promoting Scotland's interests. There's no reason for Scotland to be a nuclear power but unfortunately we're that through our association with this union.

Alex Salmond, in my opinion, is truly a brilliant leader of our country. I hope he leads us to independence. Broon the Buffoon, on the other hand, is a disgrace to Scotland. Today he was off French-kissing the players of the England rugby team.

The one thing that I and many others have learned about Alex and the SNP Scottish Government is never say never. The man is just showing Scots that THEY CAN be whatever they choose to be. Of course the institutions that have kept many past generations under control by taking away hope and creating divisions in whether a Scot comes from Edinburgh or the North, Glasgow, Rangers or Celtic, Hearts or Hibs, Catholic or Protestant, Rich or Poor, One Neighbourhood or the next one just over the road. We have a chance to throw all of that learned shiite out the window. We need to be Pro Scottish and to stop showing our lack of confidence by blaming England or anyone else. WE ARE SCOTTISH AND WE SHOULD HAVE OUR OWN TABLE, NO MORE CAP N HAND TO ANYONE ELSE. JUST IMAGINE WHAT TYPE OF PEOPLE OUR FUTURE GENERATIONS CAN BE WITHOUT THIS STONE AROUND THEIR NECK.

SAOR ALBA, IT IS TIME.

By the way Jock McHalfwit where exactly in America are you Mr Mayor.

Royster the Scottish Government and Scottish Parliament wont be going anywhere, so it may be time for you to think of your future if you really are a Scotsman.

#58, A Better Way

Great post, pal.

#59 Hear hear

Excellent news. It's great to see our Scottish Prime Minister standing up for Scotland and the Scottish people.

Incidentally folks, the so-called "Jock McSprog" is a self-confessed Englishman. As such he obviously wants us to maintain our colonial status. I think the best thing we can do is totally ignore him and his archaic colonial postings.

Royster is, of course, a unionist freak. I suspect he is cut of the same cloth as the aforementioned colonial agent. It is, however, the typical ravings of unionist nutter, and can best be ingnored.

#61 Castaway. Totally agree. Scotland should be represented at the Olympics by its own team. This should also be the case for all international sport. I also strongly object to being represented at such events by the burcher's apron and by an anti-Scottish, racist anthem.

Anyway, let's hear it for wee Eck, standing up for Scotland and the Scottish people.

Sorry about the typos, but I haven't had my fifth cup of coffee yet. Calling wee Eck our Prime Minister was not a typo though, that was deliberate.

If only there was an example of a country that had separated from Great Britain to rise up to be a powerful nation. You know a place that told Westminster that they were capable of making decisions for themselves and could live successully without answering to Westminster on every issue.

Oh wait, what was the name of that place...Oh YEAH, the United States of America. No wait, that's not it, Oh I know Canada, or was it Australia. Hold on a second I'm confused, I think it was New Zealand. WAIT...I know it must have been India, or was it South Africa. MAN, I wish I could remember the name of this place.

Now let me think...Malaysia, Cyprus, Jamaica, Barbados, Belize, Brunei, Ireland, Half of the African continent. Oh well, now that I think about it I guess MacSprog was right, there is no hope for Scotland to ever gain any form of freeland form the perfect empire that is Britain. I'm so glad he pointed that out to us.

When the UN held its first meeting there were 50 member nations. Part of the original organisation was the Trusteeship Council. This council was formed to help the colonies of the world gain social, economic and politcal independence. More people in the world lived in a colony or territory than lived in a nation of its own right. Due to the success of this council, it was suspended in 1994 when Palau became a member of the UN. Think about that, in only 50 years the UN managed to make it possible for more nations to determine their own destiny.

What makes me think that Scotland will ever be free, MacSproag? History and faith that the Scottish people are intelligent enough to know how to make decisions for themselves. Just like all of those countries I named before. Its called faith, something to many people seem to have far to little of these days.

Good for him and why not?

While he is at it he should ask the Westminster Government to come and get the 7 nuclear submarine hulks that are lying at Rosyth and if they are as safe as we are told they are perhaps they should be moored in the Thames?

Oh I'm loving this :-))) Wee Eck, you sir are running rings roon westminster.
Charles1234, well said on your posts.

So let’s just examine who the protagonists are in this particular debate.

In the pink corner we have a pro-war former priest with a bizarre dislike for South Korea, backed up by a leading exponent of the cringe tendency, who also believes Kelso has a mayor.

In the Scottish corner we have the leading home grown politician of his generation. A statesman, the nation’s leader, backed up by the overwhelming support of all those who have expressed a view on the issue.

Stop the fight referee, it is NO-CONTEST!

Of course the UK should have a nuclear deterrent, and by trying to force Trident out of Scotland, Nr. Salmond is doing, not just Scotland, but the whole of the UK a disservice. The Faslane base is a source of well paid employment for many Scots, in addition to the knock on effects to the local economy. Following this idiotic posturing to its natural conclusion will lead to the dismantling of further military installations eg. RAF Bases at Lossiemouth,Kinloss, and Leuchars with the catastrophic knock on effects to the local economies.

I am totally one hundred percent behind our First Minister with this. As a former Scottish Labour Party member (tore up my membership card), I am very pleased to say at last Scotland has a leader to be proud of! And he wants us to take our place as a nation (even if its only observer status for the moment) at the UN. At last we have a politician we can be proud of, capable of leading us on the world stage.

And why not? Many Scottish sons and daughters were instrumental in the formation of the modern world. I think many of them would be happy to see us take our rightful and equal place amongst them.

Gaun yersel' Alex ... we're right ahent ye!!!

#68
The local economies in the areas surrounding Auschwitz must have been devastated following the closure of the concentration camp.

The more I see and hear of Mr. Salmond, the more confused I get about his vision for Scotland - I understand he has no vision of a UK, that goes without saying! But, in pursuing the populist policies that he conyinues to do whilst he is STILL(!) in his so-called hoeymoon period, he shows that he has neither the gravitas, nor political compass to steer a parish council let alone an Executive that barely has a mandate to Govern.
Independence, Independence is his mantra, and yet, still no heed of the possible consequences, where the middle and wealthy classes will be made to pay for this utopia, and the only beneficiaries will be the feckless and non taxpayers, in addition to the increased ranks of political incumbents he creates to pursue this misguided vision.

No. 70
I fail to see the connection that you allude to. Trident has been employed to sustain the peace, nad has never, yet, been used as an implement of war - hence the name deterrent.
In your slavish sucking up to all things Salmond related, you appear to miss the point that Scotland has more than prospered from its relationship with the UK, and that to divorce now would invite fiscal ruin.

Once again Mr. Salmond shows his disdain for the Scottish people by pretending to be an International Statesman (knowing full well that Foreign affairs is a reserved matter).
Mr. Salmond - forget the posturing. Give us our extra police, give us our smaller class sizes. Come back and do something practical for Scotland.

Well done the Scotish Government. They might not get everything right in days to come but they are trying to do the right things and have done well so far.

I also salute the Labour politicians who voted against Trident. It must have cost them much heart-searching as they know they will not be popular with London Labour.

Alex Salmond knows how much is spent on military budgets (how many trillion does America owe China) I for one would be glad to see (and hear) then end of RAF bases in Scotland. What did we do before the bases? Worked presumably. I think he's right to move away from "establishment" controlled military budgeting. they are a huge drain on our budgets. Perhaps we can move towards a neutral country, it has served Switzerland so well.

WHAT ABOUT THE ECONOMY?

Jobs for the next generation of scots, not glory for a retiring generation. Scotlands cities are full of life, but the young people need careers, stable jobs, not a diplomatic mission, that'll cost money an jobs.

Live by the sword die by the sword. Live by politics and kill the economy. We've had almost 25 years of this since the coal strikes.

WHAT ABOUT THE ECONOMY?

Silly little man with a very small idea doomed to failure
reeks of opportunism appeals to Cowards and appeasers.
At best a superficial stunt at worst deeply unpatriotic to the United Kingdom who through his oath of allegiance to the 'Queen' he swore his loyalty.

A black day for Scotland and all patriotic peoples of the United Kingdom

Scotland already has a seat at the EU within our dynamic union.

Salmond is like the business partner who goes behind the back of the other partners in order to fulfilll his own agenda at the expense of others. He is the business partner who brings the company down, only for others to rebuild again following his unprofessional and short sighted visions.

Salmond does have support, off-course there are those who will see this move as two fingers up to the English (and thats why they will love it) The common misconception is that Scotland is not a nation unless we are completely independent, which in itself is so naive, so immature and so defeatist its firghtening. But Salmond knows that he can draw support from the short sighted William Wallace FREEDOM freaks, and so he does, whilst embarrassing the rest of us.

# 13 Parallax, I live in my head- right now it is in Hong Kong

Peacefull nation. Don't know what your talking about after engineering, been a mercenaries was my families main business for centuries. The second family business of war has not been so good since the invention of the machine gun. My respect and adminration to those families still in the business.

Peacefull nation? Where the heck did you grow up.

#76 That's the spirit. Now make it happen and don't expect it on a plate.

#71/72/73

There appears to be many concepts you fail to grasp.

As far as Trident being a deterrent is concerned, just exactly who has been deterred from doing what?

You may have failed to notice, but Scottish military forces are currently engaged in two wars, either or both of which may be illegal.

The presence of weapons of mass destruction on our soil did not deter the London bombers or those who attempted to attack Glasgow Airport.

“Divorce inviting fiscal ruin” is the standard unionist mantra emanating from those without the breadth of vision to see beyond the simplistic propaganda issued by the intellectual pygmies representing London’s interests in Scotland.

However, we live in a form of democracy, which not only allows you to express your opinion, but has also given Alex Salmond a mandate to lead the Scottish Government, following policies contained, either directly, or by implication, in the SNP pre-election manifesto.

Harris Tweed: You probably a nice lad, and a passionate one at that, but your vision for Scotland is naive and dangerous.

#78

If Alex Salmond succeeds in embarrassing you and the rest of the cringe brigade, then that in itself is a job well done.

#81

And I'm sure if the time was ever to come this nation needed defending from 'Others' with nuclear weapons and the Determination to use them.

You would alongside the other peaceniks would be in the front line of people rushing to surrender.

Why are they all in Scotland????

No coincidence I suppose that of 20 sites identified to reprocess nuclear waste, 17 of them were in Scotland.

The Labour lot were explaining at the time, that Scotland could 'enrich' it's economy, by processing nuclear waste from other countries. Mental, let's bury all the worlds nuclear waste in Scotland!!...............................

That's the disdain they have for people up here - give the Scots the nuke reprocessing and the financial admin jobs that are no longer viable in London City. But don't let them compete with London City on tax or even compete against Luxembourg, Frankfurt etc.

#82 Mediot 1. Why don't you concentrate on what the "blecks" are doing, and leave the people of Scotland to mind their own business, like you should do. Either that or go and smother yourself with your butcher's apron.

#2
You don't have to hate someone to disagree with them.
All this talk of hate just engenders more hate.
What I would say is that we should look at history.
This island was once many 'kingdoms'. There was constant fighting and invasion of other powers.
Uniting brought peace and stability and TOGETHER we protected this land from invasion.
The union isn't perfect but all pulling together it could be much better. That doesn't mean doing away with different traditions etc. So many Scots seem to forget the other 'kingdoms' in England, Ireland and Wales that have their own customs, dialect, traditions and, in many cases, dance and costume.

#72 TimW. How do you work out that Trident is a deterrent? Even the Israelis have as many nuclear weapons as the YUK has. Moreover, our 200 pales into insignificance to the Americans and their 11,000 and the Russians with their 8,500. I'll be willing to bet that the Chinese have a lot more than we do, as will the French.

I wonder to what extent this is a publicity stunt or a real attempt to do something about nuclear proliferation, which is a FAR more serious issue even than Scottish independence.

As stated above, of course Salmond is not going to form an alliance with N Korea and Iran because even that is not the biggest issue. The greatest threat to the the NPT is and always has been the US and its allies like UK. The US continues to proliferate at a fast rate and without inspection or regard to treaties and international law.

If Salmond stands up to the US and UK governments I'll be delighted but I suspect his agenda unfortunately is far narrower and more opportunistic.

#87 I think the Irish, including Northern Ireland, should be independent, as should the Welsh. Just as Scotland should be independent. We neither need not want any unequal and archaic union in which we are treated as a colony.

Pulling together would not make it better as we are pulled in whatever direction England wants to go, not the way we want to go. We are, as a people, more than capable of governing ourselves. We don't need or want foreigners telling us what to do, or what is best for us (i.e. them).

# 80 Haleakelaman, Auld Grey City

I am making it happen, by building new companies and products. My thanks to BRISBANE SCOT actually, a little discusion with him before the summer moved me to push harder. My work should be ready i only 4-5 years as opposed to 8-9 years. My Thanks.

As for the economy, there are many young, middle aged and old scots, men and women down here backing Scotland. I have absolute respect for those who work day in day our with other Brits and Europeans to move jobs to Scotland, FROM London.

Its a very hard role and they have to compete with nations from all over the world. Nations who pay hard cash and holidays for those jobs. This kind of politics makes their jobs harder, as it just hands ammunition to competitors. Its called competitive disadvantage.

#89 Paul. It was South Korea that the geographically and politically challenged spokesman for that waste of space, the Scotland Office, was talking about.

#87 Go think some more thinking, Wales is a principality and it's been quite a while since "Ireland" has been included in this "Union".

Does Scotland, or the UK, require such a large expenditure on the military budget? If anyone here has been reading the news they would know the precarious state of the USA's economy and the Worldwide(especially UK) affect it has if it crashes.
A major contributer to this is the huge borrowing (they owe trillions to China alone) for military budgets. They have a baffling amount of military hardware sitting around doing what? All because some loud mouthed crew cut action man general demands it and the Americans are extremely paranoid.

Being such a small nation what chance would Scotland realistically have if it came down to nuclear war anyway?

It would certainly be a target with the military installations we have based here like Lossiemouth, Leuchars, Faslane, nuclear weapons dumps in Glen Douglas, etc.

A return to peaceful glens instead of defacating oneself whenever a jet flies overhead while hillwalking, which is what I'm off to do now, so happy blogging and a have a braw Sunday.

#91 Me too, but I'm a self-made (without borrowing I hasten to add) businessman and employer living and working in Scotland.

That's it, I'm definitely off now to the hills.

Cheers All.

92 Guga
I'm suprised Eddie Barnes didn't cover up for the Crumbling Cairn with a little surreptitous editing. It's what I've come to expect of him.

Nor am I suprised at the 'instant gratification' contingent whinging about Alex not waving a magic wand and throwing fairie dust over the opposition so they will vote in favor of the items in question.

Oh wait, didn't Wendy announce last week that there was 'no reason' why the eetheenpee couldn't fulfill their promises? I am heartened by her very public commitment to support the Scottish Government by voting for all the items on the SNP agenda.

Oh to be in Holyrood Friday for FMQ!!!!!!!!

# 95 Haleakelaman, Auld Grey City

Well Done. I'm not doing this on credit either, great life partner though, that's why i'm in London. I can't afford to go to the world, but luckily the world has come to London.

Enjoy your Sunday.

#93
so I missed out the word Northern with Ireland.
History again, Wales was not always a principality, it was small 'kingdoms, that eventually joined together.
Same as Scotland. same as England. As theh 'kingdoms' combined they got bigger. Now the combined kingdoms cover the whole island.
History again - perhaps all Scots with Irish ancestry (which is most-including me) should return to Ireland!!!

I had to check it wasn't April Fools day

Salmond wants to play being a 'world leader' and consider reports from his UN representatives when he should be worrying about raising the school standards that he has a responsibility for. I don't see the leader of Aldermaston Parish Council asking for special status at the UN because thats where the nuclear warheads are made and looked after.

You have to question the ego of this man and how he deludes himself that his 1 seat lead in the election allows him to re-write the British constitution as he pleases. He should call for a referendum on independence and if the Nats win then he can start planning a separate defence policy and his seat on the UN which he dreams of. Until then he should get on with the job he was elected to do

Absolutely brilliant....it has brightened my morning. Just needs "Jock McSprog" to get out his bed and start his Anti-Scots tirade again...

Got to admire him.grooming the nation for Independence,

#100 hill billy

To be fair to Salmond and the SNP, they constantly call for a referndum on independence but, for some strange reason, the other parties refuse to agree to one. If they did, it would finally give us peace from the SNPs delusional wishful thinking.

For the umpteenth time.

Alex Salmond is sticking to his manifesto!

.... which is I suppose why there is so much gnashing of teeth from those who support parties which have consistently failed to do this.

Some months ago Alex Salmond set out his stall, and in return for Scottish votes he promised to do certain things for Scotland.

Scotland kept its nerve - Salmond kept his promise!

That is both democratic and honest politics - unusual I know, and difficult for *some* contributors to these pages to accept.

Yours etc

Angus Whitton

And I suppose The US is a shining example of a country free of corruption

Pot, Kettle and Black come to mind.

A Scotland Office source added: "For Alex Salmond to seek an alliance with Iran and South Korea is an unpardonable folly".

What a prat. Yeah, let's leave international diplomacy to Whitehall - oops, we've bombed the wrong country. It's so seoul destroying.

"Pulling together would not make it better as we are pulled in whatever direction England wants to go, not the way we want to go. We are, as a people, more than capable of governing ourselves. We don't need or want foreigners telling us what to do, or what is best for us (i.e. them)".

Guga..remove the word England from your above copied paragaraph..insert Scotland. You now have an English view of our UK Scots Government who have done such a fine job over the last 10 years. (not).

In the 50's,60's and 70 's England was home to the V Bombers of the RAF and the Nukes of America and in the event of a war my family would have survived zero seconds.Having spent many happy hours in Dunoon I can share how they feel about the subs.
When does Alex intend to leave the UK Parliament?

This morning is another good reminder why the other Celtic Nations can never fully compete at any level against the largest departemente in this unitary state when the alleged 'British' media is obssessed with the disappointing failure of the England team to beat South Africa in the final of the World Rugby Football Cup in Paris!

This televised competion was transmitted across the world, and even with the inclusion of the Celtic teams, the world will always be under the false impression, deliberately fostered at every opportunity by the English, that 'England' is Great Britain vis-avis the United Kingdom!

It has been Scotland's geographic misfortune to share this archipelago with the English and until Scotland becomes an independent sovereign state with control over its own affairs, like another 216 small nations, especially in the area of national broadcasting, it will continue to be disregarded by the rest of the world and remain the 'unknown' country?

Yet, many of the critics of Gallus Alex's original, but
outrageous proposals, are quite happy to meekly defer to the overwhelming pressure of a unitary state which, despite a small degree of devolved government, is just another part of England!

However, it is remarkable how a small stateless nation, demographically and geographically comparable to the State of Maine, the smallest State in the Union, continues to grab the headlines!

At least, by the time Salmond's Nationalist Government runs out of steam, the world will have been reminded that the stateless nation called Scotland still exits, and in the minds of observers worldwide, is simply not an appendage of England!

After my team got humped yesterday, I needed something to cheer me up; good on you AS! C'mon the SNP...

106
Chronically negative. Pathetic.

Roy 107; brilliant!

Alex, fix the health service, the schools and get people into jobs that do not involve sitting in either a screwdriver factory or a call-centre ...... then you can parade on the international stage.

#106 AM2

Salmond will no doubt start sporting a fine wide blue and white sash, like some French mayor or South American presidente.

Alex Salmond is an embarassment. He will look like a complete prat when they slam the door in his face and his status amongst the electorate will be diminished.

#109: Lachie Todd: Be fair it isn't all gloom and doom. Rangers 3 Celtic O. Portsmouth 2 Wigan 0.

For myself, if the Father of the Nation wishes to pursue a policy that removes all danger to Scottish people from nuclear incidents [accidental or otherwise], who am I to tell him the laws of physics are not in his favour.

However, if he seriously believes that the addition of Scottish representatives to forums attended by [eg] Iran will persuade those countries having nuclear power-stations and nuclear weapons to give them up, then we must part company.

115 Andy
I wouldn't bet my pay packet on that, if I were you.

#115

Yes.... but not his waistline

Remember the MSPs at the democratically elected Scottish Parliament urged the UK Government to ditch its plans to renew Trident by 71 votes to 16. A majority of Scottish MPs have also rejected the replacement of Trident.

I am glad that we have a SNP Scottish Government.

This initiative is perfectly legitimate. The Scottish Government and Parliament may not have the constitutional right of decision on such policies, but they have the unquestionable right, and indeed duty, to express themselves on any issue that concerns the welfare of the people and land of Scotland, and to make representations where such are required.

The places to make such representations in this case definitely include the United Nations. And since I myself am still active at UN Vienna, I know how many other similar interested parties have access there.

The reaction of Labour's Scotland Office was to be anticipated, but is still pathological.

#119: John S: courtesy of the Greens.

Today's column for cowards and appeasers must give succor to the enemies of Democracy. Who will have no compunction in the use of Nuclear weapons to impose their control on other nation's.

#121: Dr. James Wilkie: " .. still active at UN Vienna .." as what ?

The School Inspector says; 'Alex, fix the health service, the schools and get people into jobs that do not involve sitting in either a screwdriver factory or a call-centre ...... then you can parade on the international stage.' Mmmm, Broon and Blair and wee Joke didn't manage to do what yopu asked, but still they strutted on the International stage; rtaq, Malawi and Paris (yesterday) anyone?

#119

what next a majority of people at a bus stop.

#124: grond: Help me out a bit, please. How did you select for "cowards" "and" "appeasers" ?

Er what on earth has South Korea done wrong??

Well done Alex, it is good to know that someone is standing up for us, far more than Jack 'toom tabard' McConnell every really did. I think the way the Labour Party are behaving demonstrates why they should never get back in Scotland as they are clearly a shower of numpties.

PS. why is the UK government a part of the NPT if it thinks that the principle is a looney left policy. I also honestly dont know how they actually manage to pull the Iran and Zimbabwe thing out, what's that got to do with anything???

One is forced to ask how many extra police officers could be recruited, how widely free healthcare could be extended & much our other public services like transport & education could be improved if our government scrapped the Trident replacement programme & scrapped the proposal to spend £16 billion pounds on an another macho vanity project to build 2 aircraft carriers that Britain does not need & cannot justify - especially when soldiers are being denied even basic equipment because of lack of funding

Fat lot of use either would be in Afghanistan, Iraq or, all the other places where the Americans intend to fight their wars to the last Briton!With, I might add the full complicity & slavish obedience of our Government.

Mr Salmond is right.

The "economic " argument used by some is a completely fatuous "justification" for retaining nuclear bases in Scotland. Who are we supposed to be "deterring " anyway?

#128

Just looked in Alex Salmonds eye's

Fenland Farmer, Good to hear your point of view mate.

Contrary to what you hear from the unionists wingers on this forum we Scots totally support the English man and woman in the street getting their own government, which will focus on England and the needs of all your people. Contrary to the myth potrayed in the media Scots are not in the slightest thinking only of themselves and the deeds of Mel Gibson in a fictional script designed to make the dollars for Mel.

I dont know your opinions on each country in these Isles governing their own turf, but believe me there will not be fences or border posts seperating us.

Alex Salmond was going to stand down from Westminster until the Bottle Merchant Brown crapped himself. He intends to stand down now at the next Election whether it is next week,year or whatever. He keeps his seat purely so he can overcome problems with they bloody MP's that do nowt for us or many of you lot down there.

By the way Bad Luck to England in the final. They did really well getting there.

#120

"Alex Salmond thinks he's setting us on a path to independence, but in fact he's just making us look like whinging weans."

What a pathetic view. How you must loathe each and every day with a non-dependence government looking to creating a strong Scotland.

#120
Despite apparently suffering from not being Scottish, you do appear to be an expert exponent of the “Scottish Cringe”.

Therefore, for you to describe any concept as being “cringe worthy”, suggests that whatever that concept may be, it must be of some worth.

#125. I am not going to discuss my personal affairs in these columns, and certainly not with someone who has to hide behind a pseudonym. However, the words Consultant, Rapporteur and Expert on Mission appear on my UN contracts. My current project is a satellite survey of the world's fresh water resources.

Alan58,

I read an article in the Times about 3/4 months ago and they stated that the total spending for the entire Trident project was going to come in at 75 billion. Now if thats not a crime I dont know what is.

Secondly a message from Alex Salmond and John Swinney re the manifesto. Even though the London Controlled New Labour Party Branch office here in Scotland failed to introduce 67 bills to the Scottish Parliament. But we wont use that as an excuse, because the SNP have already stated that they will fullfill their manifesto commitments by the end of the SNP Governments First Term of many.

Get a life and an arguement based on fact you Numpties.

120 Duke of Deceit AKA Count Cutnpaste

I dispute your allegation, which was ill-timed as I was responding directly and in kind to your post.
You consistently skitter away from issues raised or latch onto one sentence out of a post of multiple paragraphs like a dog and gnaw on it ad nauseum without ever addressing the substance.
If the sun is shining you would swear it's going to rain, and so it shall, sometime.
I don't consider your negativity solely political. I am coming to the conclusion it is what defines you.

Don't know what Mr Salmond thinks he can achieve by observing other countries at work at the UN?

Maybe he thinks that he will become a global stateman by association???

On the odd occasion I've managed to post on here I've shown my Unionist leanings. Today I'd like to come out of the closet in my new Independence fancy dress outfit.......

I want independence for the Highlands!

There have lots of posts about the placement of nuclear weapons, Scotland being chosen over the vastly more populated areas down south.

Thing is I live in the Central Belt like the vast majority of the population. On my last journey along the the M8/M9/A1 I didn't see a single nuclear warhead!!!!

It must be time for an independent state of "Everything North of Dunblane". After all they have all the oil and the nuclear weapons.

Go on yersel Highland people...IT IS TIME!!!!!!

Dr James Wilkie, you are obviously a very sucessful Scot who has attained a high level of respect from your peers. I applaud your success Sir and enjoyed your contributions. Keep up the good work and all the best to You and Yours.

To Alex Salmond ;

There are only so many hours in each day , First Minister. The more time you spend with your attention on those things for which you have no mandate at all, the less time you will be able to spend ensuring that the Scottish people, whom you and your party have been elected to serve , are properly administered through the mechanisms entrusted to the Scottish Parliament that you currently lead.

Whatever your personal ambitions for international "Statesmanship " may be, you were elected on a mandate which included improving the day to day efficiency, and putting in place the necessary planning of those aspects of Scottish daily lives , which would have most impact on the standards of living of those in Scotland. You claimed "vision" ...but now totally predictably once again personal ambition would appear to be clouding your view.

Diverting the Public's attention away from things at home, to things you cannot control at all , is an old Political trick. Scots people are wise to this trick

#131: Grond: Come on now, what you're too shy to say is you looked into the Father of the Nation's eyes and any semblance of reason you may have possessed melted away.

JOCK McSprog/ROYSTER
Good morning JASON4QUEEN....or are you hiding as AM2 today again???
So many pseudos...so little sense !!!

Let us be a nation again, then charles 1234 and Mc Sprog will be flitting back to where they came from.but we know who charles used to be, dont we Charles 1234.

Hurrah Wee Eck is a top man. Pity we've still got such a parcel of rogues in the Nation who just can't bring themselves to withdraw their snouts from the Anglo arse and support him. However, I would suggest they'll be an ever diminishing band and as long as Labour don't assassinate him, Alex will be the best thing that has happened to Scotland in a very long time.

Scotland Office Minister David Cairns said: "Another week, another conflict. Alex Salmond prefers posturing on the world stage to delivering on bread-and-butter issues. He should be funding 1,000 extra police officers and sorting out the mess over free personal care. Instead he seeks to cavort across the world stage with his discredited looney left policies."
Hypocritical statement, what did Tony Blair do re Iraq and Afghanistan then, I well remember his world tour to help convince other governments to support the cause (Blair and Bushes cause) that is. David Cairns is starting to sound like a broken record while the mouth of the south remains silent – AGAIN.
A Scotland Office source added: "For Alex Salmond to seek an alliance with Iran and South Korea is an unpardonable folly".

And the Westminster government has been doing just that through the UN to get both to give up nuclear enrichment and missile tests for nearly a year now – total hypocrites

Does anyone wonder if AM2 supports the North of Ireland getting given back to the original owners. After all it was stolen and the people of the south do want the last remaining part being re unified.

What is asked for here is observer status.
It must have far more to do with a feel good factor for domestic consumption at home ,since we cannot influence any discussion or vote since we are still excluded to all intents and purposes,unlike the 189 other nations.
It certainly can do Scotland no harm,so why not?Is it because it might show the world that Scotland does what she is forced to do by Westminster,whether she agrees or not,and this might discredit Westmonster?If it does then it can only be deserved !

Anyone who would deny Scotland this absloute minimum of recognition,is no friend of Scotland,and plays to a unionist agenda to the exclusion of Scotlands well being.There can be no legitimate objection to this,unless you have a hidden agenda .

That in itself would jusitify our presence!

17 "Why did they let Belarus, India, the Philippines, and Ukraine be founding members even before they were independent?"

I don't know about India and the Phillipines, but Belarus and Ukraine were granted separate missions when the UN was founded - even though they were part of the USSR - in recognition that the worst death and destruction of WWII took place on their territory [Between 20-30m people killed]

#138
I think you will find that Faslane and Coulport are by some miles south of Dunblane.

However, don’t allow the fact that your post is complete drivel deter you from making an ass of yourself in future.

#140 Upbeat

Yes. Eck needs to stop the student gesture politics and show he and his party can make a better job of running Scotland than NuLab and the Liberal Whorocrats (which won't be difficult, admittedly). Stroking his own ego won't convince agnostics like me that there's any significant benefit to be gained from ending the Union. Anything else will just suggest we'd be replacing one bunch of numpties with another.

All you Numpties Alex Salmond is starting the process of building the Scottish Confidence, that they can attain whatever they want. He is reminding them that if they set a goal and believe, they stand a great chance of succeeding.

Quite a few of you trolls and London Controlled New Labour Branch Office stooges wouldnt even know what we are talking about, because you are little people who are obviously worried if you are going to be left out of the Gravy Train.

#148: morris: Assuming you are right in [" .. no friend of Scotland ..] what course(s) of action do you suggest be taken to rid yourself of people who do not agree with you ?

It's great to see the unionistas fighting for space! It reminds us that our education system isn't as good as we like to think it is!

Just WHY are *nglish Jock and his merry clan so worried about Scotland standing up for itself? I know that Ard Macha 2 is totally confused and thinks he's still on the Lambeg drum, but the rest of them?

And as for the Thatcherite (former Labour party) utterances, it's time to treat them like the fools they are. History has overtaken them. Now to educate the people!

Can Jock Mcsprog help me? My passport states that I am British but as britain doesn't exist (I checked the U.N. site) does that make me an illegal in every country or should we assume that it is those who are born on the british isles in which case who gave the Irish the right to stop being British. Could it be that the U.K. government is wrong and as such every peice of nonsense coming from them could be wrong and as such must be opossed

wait for it.... the next silly gesture on the Salmond list of gesture politics will be to use our public tax funds to try to open pretend "Scottish Embassies" around the world. He really does think he can pretend his way to pretendipendence.

#154 Mikey

See, it's utterances like your's that scares me away from the SNP. 'Now to educate the people' Why, are the people stupid? Is no-one other than a believer in secession capable of reaching a rational decision on its merits? And how will this 'education' be carried out? In special Maoist 're-education' establishments?

155 whats your point ? Ok then make up a pretend Alex Salmond type Scottish Passport and try to use it next time you travel abroad.

#153, maybe you need a little education? Most countries that are pluralistic democracies have political parties that fight for basically the same thing. They campaign on behalf of their people and seek to make their people have a better standard of life. Their ways of achieving this goal may be different, but that's what people vote uopn.

In Scotland, we have ONE part that seeks to enrich and I don't just mean financially, the Scottish people, and various other parties that seek to enrich another country!

Now those parties that seek to enrich another country have the backing of larger party organisations than the one Scottish party and lie and cheat in order to try to hoodwink the Scottish people that subserviance is better than standing on their own two feet.

The one Scottish party asks people to put their country first and make it a REAL pluralistic democracy instead of a region of another country.

Now do you understand?

#135: Dr. James Wilkie: (apologies for the delay in getting back to you). In my world the term 'Dr' is seldom, if ever used. It is reserved for my GP etc. It is just not done to use it in discussions on topics outside of one's field(s) of expertise. You must know this and know what you've done is wrong. As it happens, I agree anyone has the right to protest, to seek political change. And I look forward to seeing the Father of the Nation, complete with banner etc.

I'm confused, what's 'audacious' about the leader of a "country" (for the benefit of #7 - twit) having the right to attend an event involving the "country" (#7 is thick enough to need it repeated) of which he is the leader - whether the westminster brain dead like it or not?

#157. The people have been hoodwinked for long enough. It's now time to educate the people of Scotland as to exactly what this country can achieve.

And yes, there are some people who do need education! Surely you can't deny that?

147

I suspect that one possible reason that Ulster Unionists oppose the reunification of IRELAND is that the historically favoured protestantism would no longer be so,and there is no way that DUBLIN would allow a two tier citizenship on religious grounds!
Who knows ,maybe they would even be tempted to treat the Protestants in the same disgraceful way as the Catholics were treated in what must be their own country!

Fear of second class citizenship must be a serious fear since they practised this in reverse for long enough. Any attempt to stop this favouritism toward protestants would be presumably almost as undesirable as favouritism toward Catholics?
It would be quite out of order if this was the logic behind the Ulster Unionists "British" thinking!
If its not what they fear from leaving the UK and joining The Irish Republic which has a higher standard of living ,then I would like to hear what it possibly could be !
As far as I am concerned whilst the people in Northern Ireland may consider themselves to be "British" (whatever that means),I am equally sure that the land which they occupy was and therefore arguably still is Irish.I am no supporter of violence as was the IRA ,but I have no problem with the SD LP who have a very logical argument as far as I can see.Reunification will happen, maybe not in my lifetime,but it will happen,possibly via the Northern Ireland state becoming independent of both London and Dublin.It could stop there of course.
I accept that we must recognise the majority view in Northern Ireland and at the moment that is stay within the UK umbrella .I don't think it will always necessarily be so.I presume that AM2 would accept the result of any referendum which might happen,or would he oppose it for fear of the outcome?Sounds familiar don't it!

#159 Mikey

Your rationale continues to be based on the arrogant assumption that anyone who doesn't vote for your 'Scottish party' is somehow stupider, less able to interpret, easier to hoodwink. Is that what you're saying, that SNP voters are cleverer or that God has somehow miraculously removed the veil of ignorance from their eyes?

This is a Meglaman! - get back in yer box Alex.

what about the council tax freeze?

#148. morris, Edinburgh

You should re-post that every hour or so, for the benefit of those with insufficient time to read all the posts.

It would serve as a useful benchmark to compare against the Unionist ramblings and remedial educational tool for the likes of Draco #157.

One thing you CAN be absolutely certain of here ... any topic even vaguely inclined in this direction will bring out the Braveheart Brigade and their opponents in floods to shout irrational abuse at each other with the minority of thoughtful posts lost in the torrent. Yet again we've not been disappointed.
Gives one great confidence (NOT!) in the drivers of the democratic process!

Whether or not you agree with it, this move by the SNP is highly imaginative. The contrast with the UK Governments performance in the last few weeks is striking.

Go go lgo Alex! This can only be a momentous step on the road to independence! I just hope that you use our observer status to forge a modern and dynamic foreign policy of your very own. It is just disgraceful that you don't also have some kind of military force at your disposal, Alex! Chicken Broon might change his mind about overstretching himself with the disgraceful imperialist hegemonies he has created in Afghanistan and Iraq if he knew that we Scots were building our forces! How would you like a wee taste of your own medicine, chicken?

#162 Mikey

Yes, some people need to be better educated. Levels of illiteracy and innumeracy are growing and that's under a system that has been run for Scots by Scots since the Union. But this idea that people need to be politically 're-educated' has frighteningly Stalinist undertones. Let people make up their own minds on the benefits of secession, based o their own experiences rather than what YOU think is best for them.

This is brilliant. Jock McSprog (an insulting patronising title ) is frothing at the mouth. Scotland has things to say for a better world and a Westminster Tory Labour government aint saying them.

Salmond is THE shrewgest political operator in this dis-united kingdom, by a country mile. Broon is being shown for the amateur he is. And Wendy? Where the hell is she? The few uynionists who post on here can rail all they like, but they cannot slow down this Scottish Government and its aim of putting the people of Scotland first.

Why do some posters think the Scottish government is only capable of doing some things (schools, police, etc.) but not others (diplomacy, etc.) at the same time? How do other governments manage it, I wonder?

It's amazing how the cringe persists.

#150

Sincere apologies for my geographical gaffe!

I think however it helps make my point? The peoples who populate the Central Belt and the Highlands are very different.

An extreme example might be to take Shetland or Orkney. Just how much common ancestry do you think they share with us "mainlanders"?

If you will permit be to "make an ass" of myself again, just what is it to be Scottish?

This romantic notion that the line drawn and re-drawn through the borders defines who we are as a people is ludicrous, or perhaps you think the Vikings,Romans etc didn't breed when they visited our "country".

Rather than being rude to someone who has as much right to their view as you perhaps you should check your shoulders for chips???

A politically challenged Scottish office source equates Iran with South Korea, a former priest and gay rights campaigner defends the unholy possession of weapons of mass destruction, various unionist posters express their encyclopaedic knowledge of Scotland by misplacing Faslane, appointing a “Mayor” of Kelso, and by admitting to being part of the cringe brigade.

Does anyone now admit to having voted for this shower?

# 167 Col. Blimp IV

Can I politely ask, what have I written that makes you believe that I am less intelligent than you ( since you know heehaw about me) or that your understanding of modern Scottish politics is any greater than mine? Is having a different political viewpoint enough?

#132:A better Way.

"dont know your opinions on each country in these Isles governing their own turf, but believe me there will not be fences or border posts seperating us".

Apologies for the paste! My Country, England, has been broken up into Regions and Wales was missed of the EU map. I just have a bit of a suspicion that some in the EU (excludes present company) may well be very happy to see the break up of the UK and not for all the right reasons.

The Scots, Welsh and NI Irish all have by whatever name, their own Parliaments and rightly so. The 50 million people of England do not.

Thanks for the Rugby comments. We did well but the better side won. Congrats to SA.

#174 Neil C

It's not a case of not thinking them capable, it's a case of what is factual at the moment. It's a FACT that defence, social security, foreign affairs etc are not currently in the remit of the Scottish parliament. No amount of pretendy tours and gestures will change that. Eck needs to get on with the issues he CAN address. If he and his party does a good job, then people will form an opinion as to his competence, perhaps come to a conclusion as to the possible merits of secession and vote accordingly. Actions from Eck are the only form of political're-education' I and 100,000s of other Scots need.

I think we've all noticed the close friendship that's been developing between Alex and Prince Charles. I'm just whispering this just now, but I know my history and I know that Mussolini was able to come to power because of his close ties with the Italian Royal Family. What Benito did was to organise a few of his cronies to stage what he later described to a petrified king as a "mass popular uprising". The cowering monarch then arranged for him to become supreme leader.

I'm just using this forum to knock a few ideas about just now, but I do think that, whatever else, a march to Holyrood Palace of folk who peacefully wish to demand freedom for Scotland might just set us off on the right road! Charlie Boy is welcome to take the Scottish throne some day (and all you Sheridan types can shut it: we in the SNP have nothing but respect for him! The money for that ex cooncil in Ayrshire that he wants to do up was so nice of him! He knows that it's time!

177. Draco Was a Wimp, Edinburgh

In your post #157 you enquired about re-education camps. Which I erroneously assumed you were requesting a placement for.

Your post at #164 moves me to sing in the style of Rex Harrison.

Mikey By George, he's got it! By George, he's got it!

Even if Alex Salmond and the SNP manage to ruin enough of the UK at home and abroad through willful and selfish abuse of power, they will still be out on their ears, Union or not.

There is no way the SNP would be allowed to govern an independent Scotland for more than one term. An egomaniac at the helm who only has the capacity to destroy and tarnish not build and preserve.

#141

What are you going to do when not if but when someone develops a nuclear capability and has the will to use it.

Because all I can see from the peaceniks in the Nationalist camp is that they would have Scotland bend its knees to to any aggressor

#181

one thing is for sure you'll not be at the front leading it as you are a Coward who has with all your guff only been a member of the S.N.P for the briefest of times.

As #158 Jock Mcsprog can't help can anyone else? If my passport is issued to citizens of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland does that make me an UKNI but my passport states that i am British but there is no such nation as Britain.......WHY doesn't this paper have an agony aunt.
Yours
An exiled UKNI

#182 Colonel Blimp IV

Now you HAVE confused me. Which is the case? That SNP voters are inherently more intelligent or that you've all been the joyous beneficiaries of Divine intervention?

Quick question,

If we do seperate, who decides on the division of assets?

Actually 2 questions,

Who will protect the oil fields when the barrel price is $1000 or the fishing grounds when our european chums have ran out of herring?

Who the hell elected Alex Salmond to the Foreign Office?

The man has suck crass ideas above his station it is embarassing to one and all.

His mickey mouse policies, while ideologically sound, have had to be abandoned as he can't afford them and is clueless how to impliment them.

This would be a wake up call to anyone in charge of a country. Not to Alex Salmond, just find some bigger stupid idea that conforms to gesture politics. If it fails, you never really had responsibility for it. And when the domestic situation gets worse, you were busy on this big idea and it was the previous administration.

It is like watching Sesame Street.

#7 "This is embarassing for us here in Scotland."
Speak for yourself. What I find embarassing is the Iraq invasion and being represented abroad by Blair the liar and Brown the feartie.

If you want Scotland to maintain its Brigadoon status, then DONT VOTE SNP. Alex Salmond is only doing what his predecessors were being paid to do.

#186 Webbie.

You're being silly. British is merely the descriptive of persons from the UK of GB & NI. It may surprise you but there no Holland or Dutchland in the UN either.

#181 grandon of winged messenger: so you finally admit that you're a racist who takes inspiration from Mussolini then! You are peddling a philosopy of exclusion and hate and you obviously don't understand the definition of "Great Britain" or what it is all about, despite the number of times that more grounded posters have tried to put you straight! You are nothing short of a disgrace and I hope that you keep taking the medication!

#175

I think that the only point emphasised by what you describe as a geographical gaffe is your own set of inadequacies and insecurities.

I was born in the Central Belt, (Glasgow), have worked in Orkney, and have family connections with South Uist and Shetland.

Scotland is made up of a number of disparate peoples, with many different backgrounds and experiences.

There is however, one homogenous thread uniting all these people, we all regard Scotland as the umbrella under which we shelter.

We share a common identity and common goals.

We are an inclusive Nation, welcoming all, whether black, brown, yellow or pink.

Those of us who aspire to independence, do so out of a desire to see our point of view being represented on the world stage.

We believe we have something to contribute.
Peaceful co-existence with our neighbours ranks highly within our objectives.
Elimination of poverty, both here and furth of our shores ranks highly in our agenda.

We are an outward looking Nation, and believe that by allowing our own people to fulfill their potential, we will be in a better position to assist less well endowed than ourselves.

Stop the world, we want to get on!

Some very suspicious postings of people putting words and policies where they do not reside. Some clarity then is required. Alex Salmond is a good leader of his country. He has till 2011 to demonstrate this to the majority of Scotland's peoples, In the interim if he can raise the profile of Scotland in the world and allow our voice to be heard on important matters then I am with him.

189 Andy
"The man has suck crass ideas above his station it is embarassing to one and all. "
Ideas above his station?
Earth to Andy.................................................

#192blarney expat observer

And like Mussolini he is a Blustering Coward and frightened of lampposts

192 blarney
He is a troll - note the lack of capitalization in the name.

#189 You are the embarrassment. You self loathing,cringing pipsqueek. Liberate yourself and the two or three other cringers who agree with you. Love Scotland to join the world.

#193

Harris my boy, I can assure you that I am neither insecure nor inadequate!

You alledge that "we" are an inclusive nation welcoming all, yet you have been scathing and rude about me and my views.

Your assertion that we have a homogenous thread is is interesting. The vast majority of people I know shelter very happily under the British umberella, and, believe our point of view is not much different from our cousins south of the border.

#120 AM2.
Don't worry about how the rest of the universe perceives Salmond or indeed Scotland because outside of Scotland our internal whinges are not reported.No one cares what an unimportant,minor politician from an unimportant,minor region of the UK states.
I have been out of the country or a little while so I,m not up to speed with all the latest political outpourings,but I do seem to remember that one of the SNP's platforms was "No nuclear on Scottish soil"if that was true when is Salmond and Co closing Faslane/Coulport and the nuclear hulks at Roysth?
On independance the English electorate want shot of Scotland,the Scottish electorate want independance according to the SNP,why not ally oneselves with the English majority instead of antagonising them!

What I find dissapointing about the SNP campaigners on here is that they somehow see letters from Alex Salmond (an international nobody) to international leaders as profile building?

Any educated man or women will immediately see such a letter for what it is. Trouble making at best, trying to subvert due process for personal gain by going behind others backs.

What educated and powerful person wants to do business with a selfish trouble maker who if they disagree with established democracy then they will subvert it.

If Alex Salmond had genuine respect for democracy and Scots he would confine himself to doing the job that was democratically created and not the one he thinks he was asked to do. The man is a deluded cretin with illusions of grandeaur.

193 Harris
Good point.
On the same note, you can equate that with people from the US. Most define themselves as residents of their country, not the state they live in, although they are take pride in that as well.

#200 Barbour: you are the kind that just enjoys sowing divisions of hate and I imagine that you're probably not even all that interested in Scottish separation. I bet you're one of those namby pamby Lib Dem types and that you just like a good shout against the English and a pint with you mates to watch the rugger. You're what's commonly known as a "pub nationalist!"

Considering the contribution Scots and Scotland has made to the development of the world whether it be technical or for that matter any of Arts and Sciences.
We should start by having our country recognised on Computer lists ,you get just about every country in the world right down to the smallest possible except Scotland. We are lumped in with the UK,sad considering our gifts to mankind,have we not earned the right.
Go for it Eck! anything that recognises Scotland as an independent agent or voice is ok in my book.

#210 Andy Dufresne

you say Alex Salmond is 'a deluded cretin with illusions of grandeur'

Are you referring to the Prime Minister of Britain perhaps?

I don't think there is a job description for First Minister of Scotland and I don't think you can possibly be speaking for the Scots who democratically elected him.

This is pure uneducated Unionist squealing.

And as this Britain has no written constitution the First Minister of the democratically elected Scottish Government can do anything he fancies constitutionally.

#203 silly name,can't be bothered to type it.
Expat,from where?now where?
How you can arrive at your conclusions from my "posting" completely amazes me.
You could not be further from the truth,believe me.

I hope that Alex is successful but they'll need a big seat for him.

Alex Salmond, the elected leader of the Nation of Scotland, wrote on behalf of his Government to a host of other nations seeking their help and assistance to give Scotland greater voice and influence on a matter of great importance to Scotland.

Unionists then condemn him for his doing this. How exactly does this aid Scotland? What is wrong with these people?

Like him or loathe him he was elected to raise Scotland's profile at home and abroad.....and that is EXACTLY what he is doing.

#199

You previously alluded to your lack of geographical knowledge of Scotland as somehow being a badge of honour.

If you regard my comments upon this as being scathing and rude, well, to this charge, I plead guilty.

I cannot be held responsible for the social circles you move in, and who believe Scotland’s best interests are served by being part of the British union.

I do believe however, that you occupy an insular position of narrow cringe ridden dependency. You attempt to sew the seeds of artificial division between central belt residents, and those of other areas.

You use your own lack of knowledge of areas without your immediate ken, and attempt to extrapolate this to cover the rest of the population.

I have previously demonstrated why this thesis does not cover me.

Nor do I believe it covers many of us who have travelled extensively, both within and outwith our borders.

On the subject of the important issue of the nuclear deterent I seem to recall a poll a couple of years ago that the majority of Scots actually favoured its retention. Is this right, or are the more recent polls which show something else?

If you are going to take a moral position on this one then surely you have to address the issue of NATO. NATO membership gives this alliance the right to station nuclear weapons in the territory of its members. I think the SNP wants to leave NATO, but I'm not clear on this either? Can anyone enlighten me? tks.

I can't believe what I am reading. The SNP and supporters live in la la land.

The SNP was elected to a devolved Scottish Government as laid out in the Scotland Act 1998. Alex Salmond is the first minister his powers are laid out in sections therein.

He was not elected to fart around raising his or anyone elses profile, he was not elected to further the independence agenda either. If he was he wouldn't have needed the help of 2 tree huggers to form a wimpish minority government.

Alex Salmond is like a child trying to wind up his brother to make him look bad in the eyes of mummy and daddy. Like most grown ups, the electorate reacts accordingly and see toddler eck as the immature nuisance he is.

Alex Salmond has a little bit of power, if he can use that well he'll get more.

Where are the extra police, student grants, council tax freeze etc?

#211 Andy Dufresne

Alex Salmond is like a child trying to wind up his brother to make him look bad in the eyes of mummy and daddy. Like most grown ups, the electorate reacts accordingly and see toddler eck as the immature nuisance he is.

Excellent analysis Andy.

Good for Salmond!
Scotland has every right to decide whether it wants nuclear weapons on its soil.
This is the most sensitive and important issue in intra-British relations at this moment, and also the right issue on which to take an independent international stand.
There is no conceivable reason why Glasgow and surrounding areas should be blown to smithereens at the start of some nuclear war started by trigger-happy lunatics, when Scots have consistently voiced their anti-nuclear stance.

211 Andy
I accept the fact that with any group there will be optimists, pessimists and realists.
I am a realist looking at the past, present and future. I chose to be cautiously optimistic about our future and the path our FM has chosen.
Would I do precisely as he has done? Probably not. Can I recogonize the validity of his decision? Emphatically yes.
What I don't understand is your determined pessism. You seem to take it as a personal affront that the head of our government sees beyond the end of his nose and is, step by careful step, building a foundation for the future.

David Cairns talks excrement - who is he anyway?

#211. Andy Dufresne

FYI: SNP supporters do not live in la la land, though we do wish their sporting teams success whenever they happen to be playing against your hero's.

Take the fecking union jack specs off, they are impairing your vision.

http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=1678852007

211

you will find details of the council tax freeze here

http://news.scotsman.com/politics.cfm?id=1678852007

Although be careful cos there is another story where the scotsman told complete LIES.

The scottish parliament voted 71 to 16 against the westminster parliament renewing Trident

I think you will find that also includes a few unionist Msps and not just the snp and alex salmond.

214 MtnKat

I think you are deliberately misrepresenting what I have said.

I agree most of the SNP's policies are ideologocally sound. The SNP have been given a little bit of power. It makes sense for Alex Salmond to do the job he was asked to do as he promised he would.

I would like world peace and disarmament, in theory it is good, perhaps Alex Salmond should show he can provide 1,000 extra police to keep the peace in a small country and then and only then work up to ushering in an era of global peace.

That is what I'd like to see. If he does a job well, more power to him, if he gets involved in gesture politics, get himout of office.

211 so to quote a phrase my father used to say

ah yer bums out the windae.

#16 Jock, you sound rattled and a tad desperate. I'm loving your pain!

212 you said

"Alex Salmond is like a child trying to wind up his brother to make him look bad in the eyes of mummy and daddy. Like most grown ups, the electorate reacts accordingly and see toddler eck as the immature nuisance he is."

I think you will find your bum is also out the windae.
The snp does not have 71 msps. I think you will find they have 47. So i assume you are also pissed off at whatever unionist party members that supported them.

215 some numpty from greenock i think.

On the issue of WMDs based in Scotland, Salmond has an overwhelming mandate at Holyrood. I am sure all 71 MSPs who voted against Trident will be solidly behind his UN initiative! ;-)

223 i agree with you jock is today sounding a tad more desperate every day the unionists get shot down in flames and still they come back for more.

#210

The SNP believe in co-operation in conventional defence. An independent Scotland will inherit a treaty obligation to NATO. However the SNP's opposition to nuclear defence will make the continued participation in nuclear alliances difficult so the SNP propose to negotiate a phased withdrawal from NATO but will retain military co-operation with NATO nations through a variety of international involvements.

Forget about Salmond posturing at the United Nations; has anyone seen my wee bairn Spookie who I haven't seen since yesterday afternoon when his beloved Celtic got thrashed.

218 Andy
He was never reticent concerning his vision for Scotland and I don't see this as detrimental to the issues you mention. It's commonly referred to as multi-tasking.
There will be no instant gratification. Nothing is ever solved in a thrice by any government. Witness the ongoing negotiations with councils over the tax freeze. Not to mention the obstructive opposition that must be surmounted.
Opposition should be limited to issues that are fundamentally flawed not the one upmanship being attempted by Labour.
I am not privy to the FM's strategy, but I have seen nothing as yet that makes me doubt his ability to achieve what he has promised.

#27 Charles1234

Beautifully put! A comprehensive humiliation for Jocko!

#38 Royster. Do you know how ridiculous you sound?

211 Andy "He was not elected to fart around raising his or anyone else's profile, he was not elected to further the independence agenda either".

Many thanks for your post. The omission of any logic or sense from said post I will politely attribute to an evident frothy over eagerness on your part. If nay immediate non-domestic priority should be looked at perhaps start with Iraq.
This however is a domestic issue for Scotland.

The SNP were not elected to further their stated aims you claim? What new and bizarre convulsion of already over-taxed, under-thought unionist logistical gymnastics is this? I would have thought the SNP were elected precisely to further their stated aims, or has planet unionism moved further outward in its free-wheeling elliptical orbit of the guffo-sphere?

What is wrong with Scotland having observer status, and what is wrong with the SNP government doing all it can to ensure our country is not used as a base for WMD the vast majority of Scots do not want. I know it is a weird concept for unionists to grasp, but the rest of us like this new an groovy idea of a government and first minister defending Scotland and promoting her interests.

"ALEX Salmond has launched an audacious bid for Scotland to take part in crucial international talks at the United Nations on ending the nuclear age. "

hm

does that mean that England gets a seat as well then ?

sounds good !

For all Salmond's ego driven attempts at destroying Scotland, there is one fact that remains, one fact that cannot be denied. SCOTLAND, OUR SCOTLAND, is still very much part of the union, and will be for a long time to come.

Salmond has lived his life believing that Scotland is a nothing nation living in the shadow of England. It is such naive and blinkered thinking that has led him to this road he now pursuits. Those of us who love Scotland, and are passionate about her will never see her as a nothing nation. To us, Scotland is a very important part of a very dynamic union. Scotland is a mature and competent partner within the union, Scotland is a dynamic and integral part of the union, Scotland is a truly tremendous country and most of us are proud of our union status.

Could Scotland go it alone? Proabably! But then so could each of the states in America.

Salmond appears to have some sort of ego problem, as was previously mentioned. His one seat win HAS gone to his head. He is acting on impulse, he is acting on years of indoctrination, he is turning into a rambling mad man hell bent on dividing Scotland and destroying the rich fabric of life that so many before us have fought to achieve. Salmond is behaving like a demi god and is displaying quite dangerous characteristics.

Whats it really about Alex? Cmon, we know its not about Scotland........

hello ayrshire have you been over to the new council tax freeze thread yet.

233 AMEN

233 and then media 1 woke up.

234

Hi Karin M

Yes. Where are all those unionists who were crowing and taking delight in the apparent non delivery of the freeze today?

233 Media1
"he is turning into a rambling mad man"
Eh?
Sounds more like your exalted leader in Westminister.

233 Media1
"he is turning into a rambling mad man".

Said the man after a jolly good 5 paragraph ramble devoid of sense.

I had a look at the Scotland Act 1998 and although I am pretty sure Mr Dufresne couldn't be bothered to check it out, Dufresne San and his punkawalla have a point. Apart from a lot about her Excellent Majesty Her Royal Highness etc etc and her most Rt. Honourable Ministers and Privy Councillors etc there was this threat.

s.58 Power to prevent or require action

(1) If the Secretary of State has reasonable grounds to believe that any action proposed to be taken by a member of the Scottish Executive would be incompatible with any international obligations, he may by order direct that the proposed action shall not be taken.

Oh dear. Be afraid Alex, be very, very afraid...

A lot of people like me emigrated to Canada because we could see that the bed-wetters and Brit-Clones didn't have the guts to vote for independence. Since then, most of us have done well and have no plans to return, other than for holidays. Maybe we could make a deal - we could send all the bedwetters to England and put Scotland where it belongs, first among small nations. It's significant that the US has a day honouring the Scots contribution to the United States, National Tartan Day, April 6th. Mind you, they have one for England too - the Forth of July, commemorating the day they kicked England out. Are Scots at home really so gutless that they need to cling to Mammy England's apron strings? Why do you think none of us ever come back to live in Scotland? Who wants to listen to all that whining?

A réir do mheas ort fhéin, measaidh càch thu. As you value yourself, so others will esteem you.

#239 Ayrshire: I am not playing with Scotland's future as if it were a game dice. I am not the one pretending to be a leader......I am in a position to ramble, that is my right as a mere voter. Salmond on the other hand commands a position that you would think would prevent him from behaving as such. But alas, he just carries on doing it

242 Media
"I am in a position to ramble"

We can all see that, no need to keep proving it old bean with each post.

Yes Salmond does keep on doing it - saving A&E departments, scrapping road tolls, freezing the council tax, abolishing the graduate endowment, fighting for Scottish farmers, free prescriptions for the chronically ill, fighting Scotland's corner. I hope he keeps on and on doing it.

239 Ayrshire scot

Alex Salmond is da man amd my troll is a blip

#73 TimW

Come back from where? I think you will find that he has written a letter. A piece of advice for you. A successful troll needs to be more subtle.

Salmond is a bloody idiot, Scotland only has certain devolved powers,and a seat at the UN is not one of them!

nuff said

thought so

242 As good an example of cringing as you are ever likely to see.

mere voter

Kimba is a bloody idiot..thought so..nuff said

And why not? After all, isn't the term "General Assembly" Scottish in origin...?

246 Kimba

is he asking for a seat at the UN?

Have you read the article? Can you read the article? Be honest, the first step is admitting the problem.

#82 Media 1

What is this obsession you have with "passionate lads"?

246 moana
Read more carefully next time. He is requesting status of Observer. Quite a difference from applying for a seat on the council.

I am sick to death of that man. Who does he think he is? He certainly doesn't represent me. He makes me cringe, how can be really be taken seriously? All I can say is, I'm so glad I didn't vote for him. Hopefully he'll continue to mess up the way he has started to and people will wake up again and use their votes more seriously! I've yet to be convinced that it is a good thing to break up Britain!

242 See you dont get it do you. Everyone in scotland is equal from the first minister down. that is what alex salmond wants a nation of equals. Equal to any person or any country in the world. You with your cringe cannae see it. You think you are mere. little nothing.

242 Media 1

as a mere voter...in Capetown Central, SNP gain from Unionist expat....

255
"Who does he think he is?"

Perhaps he thinks he is the democratically elected First Minister of Scotland.

As to who you are, ask someone nearby -they are bound to know or will be able to point you in the direction of assistance. Best of luck.

I am not a mere little nothing i am a scot and damn proud of it. I am also damn proud of my first minister.

Harris,

I'm beginning to think that you were starved of your mothers love as a child! What an aggressive young man you are!

How on earth can my apology for latitudinal errors be construed as a badge of honour???

"I do believe however, that you occupy an insular position of narrow cringe ridden dependency. You attempt to sew the seeds of artificial division between central belt residents, and those of other areas."

Where to start? - insular? and you a "Nationalist" surely my pro-unionism is the antithesis of insular!

Artificial Division - is that like the line drawn between the good people of Berwick?

As for my thesis not covering your good self, you think that because you worked for a time in Orkney and have family elsewhere in Scotland you have a God given right to speak for the Scottish people.

I seem to remember that at the last General Election more people voted for other parties than for SNP. Where exactly is your mandate for independence????

PS You are still an arrogant tw~t

#199

You previously alluded to your lack of geographical knowledge of Scotland as somehow being a badge of honour.

If you regard my comments upon this as being scathing and rude, well, to this charge, I plead guilty.

I cannot be held responsible for the social circles you move in, and who believe Scotland’s best interests are served by being part of the British union.

I do believe however, that you occupy an insular position of narrow cringe ridden dependency. You attempt to sew the seeds of artificial division between central belt residents, and those of other areas.

You use your own lack of knowledge of areas without your immediate ken, and attempt to extrapolate this to cover the rest of the population.

I have previously demonstrated why this thesis does not cover me.

Nor do I believe it covers many of us who have travelled extensively, both within and ou

252 Ayrshire
Sorry to replicate your post. D@mn slow connection today.

#87 thinking

Nice try but the Union is in terminal decline. Ironically, English nationalism is one of the main reasons for this.

Apologies for my cut and paste faux pas!!!!

253...

I am Gay, that's why i use the word passionate lads

Im an embra lad.thought so nuss said.

255 your cringing is your own affair and nothing to do with our beloved first minister. As to yet to be convinced admit it you dont want to be convinced. Your a brit nat unionista

nuff said ..even

260 Capital
Harris,

"I'm beginning to think that you were starved of your mothers love as a child"

I am beginning to think you were starved of your mother's oxygen at an earlier stage in proceedings?

I understand a seat has been found for the First Minister at the UN. It is outside the debating chamber in the corridor a corner has been allotted to him alongside a dunce's cap and a white Flag.

As a embra lad when i go back to embra i like to hang out at c.c blooms, i met my partner there and he is lovely...He is 57 and treats me as his smooth thing..thought so nuff said

# 241. History lesson. By the time the US gained independence it was after 1707 and therefore the union and as such it was Britain and no longer England that they gained their independence form. The term Britain was only used after 1707.

I'm glad you have such a good life in Canada, it is great country. I don't think you should try and blame your emigration to the Union though. It can't be blamed for everything.

Like many emigrants you seem to think that in 1707 we were invaded, not so buddy! If you are such a wonderful' Scot' come back we need you! Make this a better place, please! Obviously if you all came back all our social problems would be solved.

Not taking up the invite? Didn't think so. But of course you all have opinions!

#268

So you are another who thinks that anyone who has a view different to your own must be brain damaged?

Thank goodness your independent Scotland is going to be populated by such a tolerant clan!!!!

karin m

RE #'s 216 & 217

SNAP!

272 capital c embra

you dont have a brain..thought so nuff said

#258 Ayrshire Scot
#266 karin m

Excuse me for enquiring but I, and I am sure a lot of other contributors to these threads, would like to know if you are actually related to each other; e.g. brother and sister or husband and wife. You see, you both come onto these forums at the same time each day, you both talk a lot of drivel each day, both become very childish as the evening approaches each day and both leave these forums at roughly the same time each day. Given that you both spend the great part of your life sitting at your key-boards posting nationalist drivel and propoganda; do you not get bored in the couple of hours each day that you are separated from your key-boards?

272 Capital C

are you that gay chap that said he wasn't posting again?

"So you are another who thinks that anyone who has a view different to your own must be brain damaged?"

No. Can you not read? I was quite specifically referring to you.

Dougie Mcdougal

better to have nat drivel than your labour and union lies..thought so nuff said

# Media 1

I believe your lack of grey matter is plain for all to read! "thought so nuff said"? just where in the "hood" is capetown???

275 Dougie

another sad sould, the irony of whose actions escapes him.

So, let me get this straight - you come on, read through all of our posts which you say get progressively worse and lacking in value (so you must read them all), yet you persevere, and then comment on how we use our time?

Satifying and rewarding for you I hope. Cheers

Ayrshire Scot is the man...thought so nuff said

252, Indeed I have, the headline states "Salmond bid for seat at UN" need I say more!

120. AM2, Glasgow / 10:02am 21 Oct 2007

#111 MtnKat

"Your notion that nationalism is "positive" and anyone opposed to your agenda is "negative" is contrived rhetoric at it's very worst. Typical SNP.

Alex Salmond thinks he's setting us on a path to independence, but in fact he's just making us look like whinging weans. It's cringeworthy."

You're probably correct..after all you were correct about the Council Tax Freeze.

#276

Are we to assume that you are using the term "gay" as an insult?

278..Capitol c

South Africa, are you the man that picked me up at C.C BLOOMS, ?? thought so nuff said

281 Kimba
252, "Indeed I have, the headline states "Salmond bid for seat at UN" - try reading the article now dear. "need I say more!" - no, you need not, but I fear you shall.

Capital C is White Settler, he hails from SCUNTHORPE origionally.

283 Capital C

"Are we to assume that you are using the term "gay" as an insult?"

By we, do you mean 'you' or are you royal or schizoid?
No, I am using term gay as in 'gay' - as a description of a 'gay' person. Why you think it is insult or how you have de-and re-constructed the sentence it was in to contrive such escapes me - explain?

#284

Homophobia is in some circumstances a crime in Scotland. Then again as you don't live here you probably weren't aware!

Ayrshire Scot - tread carefully!

201

"illusions of grandeaur."

What the hell does THAT mean?

289..capitol c

I am gay, so not homophhobia, thought so nuff said

Media...1. And you are a rude,obnoxious individual,who quite frankly should read the article "Salmond bid for seat at UN" now go away and play!

So many posts...so many "new" names...so many trolls. Obviously our First Minister must be on the right path. Why else would the "newbies" be posting here?

Yer aw bollocks.

289 Capital C

284 is not me. I am not homophobic. I asked if you were the gay person from Edinburgh who used a different name and said he wasn't posting ever again (i.e another huffy and lying unionist)

i am a Hearts fan and love vlad, vlad is the man and the future is maroon...thought so nuff said

#287

Perhaps you would like to explain why you asked the question of whether or not I am gay?

As for my use of we, these threads are open and the readers numerous, I'd have thought the use of "we" took this into account.

#279 Ayrshire Scot

I have a life Ayrshire Scot, it is you that doesnae seem to have a life evident by the number of hours that you spend on these forums each and every day sad sould (sic)

292 kimba

Go away you troll, you are AM2 in a skirt..thought so nuff said

295 Pehman

well said! What have we to lose from raising Scotland's profile? The unionist viewpoint is the parochial, insular one here.

300

300..thought so nuff said

# 294

I have only posted under one name.

What is it that makes you think I am huffy or a liar?

METHS. why if you feel so strongly about Scotland don't you come home,or would that effect your tan!

#275 Dougie McDougal,

Well said -but who is of the masculine and feminine gender ?? That is the question.

153

I am a democrat who has accepted the majority view for my entire life,and has stated on these forums many times that I would protect the right of anyone to say what they wished, irrespective of who agrees or disagrees with them.
Clearly I include myself .
The majority views are the only way to govern as far as I am concerned.However there is clearly a practical limit on how often you consult.

If I am ever a majority, I expect them to graciously accept that democratically declared view.
I would suggest we start by teaching them what a democracy and tolerance are .
Maybe we should also teach them manners?eg Its an abuse of the most basic freedom to accuse people who clearly are not guilty of anything.

No one in the SNP has ever advocated anything less.We cannot be held responsible for views expressed by people who are not our members any more than any other body can be.
Thats just common sense I would have thought?

We are individuals and clearly accountable as such.
The SNP has never,nor will it ever entertain any degree of self determination which does not have the support of the people.It simply cannot under international law which is something the Unionists would do well to acknowledge.
I assume they are not so stupid as to not realise this.

We are also to my certain knowledge unwilling to entertain any discrimination of any kind.

There is a difference between tolerance and agreement. We tolerate any view ,in the sense that we preserve the right to say so, but of course we will vehemently attack any view which we find unacceptable, but not the right to express it,only the content.
That is democracy in action .

303 capitol c

you are Dale winton in drag...ooooor i say...thought so nuff said

299 Ignoramous,nuff said!

298 Dougie

so again, in your irony free zone, you come on to say that my posts are progressively valueless, but never the less you read them all and then feel compelled to comment on them? Then you say I waste my time (whilst you read all my posts) - so you want to discuss my posts further, whilst claiming you have a busier more fulfilled life than I? Is this your paradoxical wee conflation?

Are you strapped to a chair being forced to read my posts? If you don't like them, don't read them. But how you can decry someone's waste of time in writing the posts as you read and spend time commenting on them shows your IQ or sense of irony are somewhat leguminous? Begone.

Serious points.

1 Has anyone here heard of "IDEA"? They are The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance. It is an intergovernmental organization that supports sustainable democracy worldwide. THEY HAVE OBSERVER STATUS IN THE UN.

Sweden’s national organisation for gay rights, the RFSL, has been granted OBSERVER STATUS IN THE UN.

Does the United Nations provide observer status to non-states?...this from UN. "Yes, the United Nations provides observer status for non-states, inter-governmental organizations and other entities."

In other words, what's the bloody problem? It's just yet another unionist whine 'cos they lost. Sheesh.

Salmond seeking the support of tyrants and wannabe nuclear club members in order to destabilise UK defence policy. Impressive? Not really. Pathetic? Certainly.

303 Capital

if you only post under one name then I think you neither huffy nor lying (about that - you are probably quite capable of lying about Scotland).

I note you do not apologise for terming my use of the word 'gay' a form of insult. I think you are more insulting by automatically terming the use of the word an 'insult' - why is it an 'insult' if someone asks you that?

#307

Media 1,

If ever you return here to Scotland (assuming that you really are in South Africa) be sure to look me up.

I'll put you in touch with a fellow village idiot in Ayrshire!

207. W U Merchant, Aberdeen / 12:21pm 21 Oct 2007

"I hope that Alex is successful but they'll need a big seat for him."

W U MERCHANT!!! FREEZE...RIGHT THERE!!!

310 Meths..

I agree with you sir..thought so nuff said

275
305

i thank you both for your attentions as im sure does ayrshire scot. However if all the two of you can do is sit and count posts and make notes of the time both ayrshire scot and i log on and log off then can i make a suggestion. Try actually posting something that people want to read then maybe you will achieve the cult status that ayrshire scot and i enjoy. You have already shown you follow everying we do.

211. Andy Dufresne (of that and other ilks)

Save yer posts. Yer talkin' pish son. Read 310.

#312

You are simply back padalling!

My sexuality has nothing to do with this forum.

If you require an apology then here it is - I am truly sorry that you mistook me for another poster.

313 capitol c

I know where you stay sir..you took me back to your house in the south side....lovely wall paper in the hall way, and whats with the big plant at the bay window???

thought so nuff said

This is super fun. A newbie unionist troll comes on to spout garbage and another newbie unionist troll comes on to agree. Brilliant. That's ME convinced....arf...arf..

317
"maybe you will achieve the cult status "

Well, they might achieve that, with a one letter substitution.

Hi, my name is Dougie, I contribute no point of view but sit and read and count posts I find valueless then seek to engage in discussion on these. My life is busy and fulfilled.

ach I'm really sorry. There are SNP trolls as well. But at least they talk sense (most of them). arf arf...

Happy "Suck on a lemon" day y'all.

Saudi Arabia Requests UN Observer Status for OPEC..

318

I have never padalled on this forum. You are out of your depth.

Quebec gay rights group granted UN observer status..

#307. Media..1, capetown

Re #313 "village idiot"

C's taking the P surely?

Not even a Unionist could be that gullible.

Could he?

IDB Gets UN "Observer" Status. March 26, 2007...

But the Unionists don't like the idea of Scotland getting observer status? Totally pathetic.

225. Tks for answering my question.

318 padalling sir

keep your sexual activities to yourself

#321

Media 1

You should be ashamed!

meths,more like barf, please come home,your country needs you!

now capital c would you like to use your padal on your big dinghy.

kimba how is the enp doing these days.

BTW...

IDB in case you weren't aware...

The Islamic Development Bank Group. This group is directly involved in paying the families of Palestinian suicide bombers.

...but you don't want Scotland to have observer status? Get a life people. Your anti-SNP stance is now coming over as anti Scottish. Very strange.

Maybe I should really "Keep up the good work." At this rate the SNP will be picking up barrowloads of votes at the next election.

I think Duncan's back...........

329 New Town

worth noting that Norway is a member of NATO, but on a non nuclear basis (I believe it does not allow nuclear weapons on its territory or ships etc / transport etc by NATO in its territory).

Now can the unionist explain why it is right for Sweden's gay rights organisation and Quebec's gay rights organisation to have observer status at the UN, but not the Scottish government when we have nuclear WMD against our wishes here, nuclear power stations, are clearing up the mess of one of the world's only fast breeder reactors?

321 capitol c..

I know sir, i am sorry i will return your silk pants...thought so nuff said

Media 1.

Grow up.

336 Meths

so do I. "I will never post again" ....

I third that "i will never post again"

339 is he the real media 1 or a troll

342

a troll. Nuff said. Thought so.

media 1 hows your shrooms doing.

326. Meths™
"Quebec gay rights group granted UN observer status.."

Are they Seperatists or Dominionists.

"Scotland on SundaHy can reveal that the First Minister has written to representatives of the 189 countries who have signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) - including Iran and Zimbabwe"

but yet the SOS choose publish this line from a non-person:

"A Scotland Office source added: "For Alex Salmond to seek an alliance with Iran and South Korea is an unpardonable folly".

Is this the standard of SOS? I do believe this is unpardonable folly!!!!!

246. kimba / 1:44pm 21 Oct 2007

"Salmond is a bloody idiot, Scotland only has certain devolved powers,and a seat at the UN is not one of them!"

Ha ha ha ha ha. Do you understand ANYTHING about observer status? Read about it first and stop being such a thickoid. Methinks it is YOU who is the idiot.

Away and google it.

Hmm Bakula...another "K"....

#2

The UK Government still allows Iran to have an embassy here.

Sauce for the goose, sauce for the gander

Poor Alex, he's no idea. As Jock MacSprog (7) said so eloquently, 'It's a region yer runnin, no' the country.

Your job is to run this huge regional council known as Holyrood whose main function is to take the boring bits away from proper MPs at Westminster, cow tow to the Prime Minister no matter what party is in, and facilitate any English advantage England can get over Scotland e.g. holding on to what is laughingly known as Scottish Oil and Gas (just because it's in Scottish waters and comes under Scottish Law as designated by some silly European Treaty.

May I respectfully advise Alex that you have a word with Wendy and Jack re cow towing, they do it so well. (Keep away from that man McLeish though, he was getting as bad as yersel.)

Hope this has been of some help Alex......pair sowel 'es daen e's best, jist disnae unerstawn the complexities 'o the situation yet.

#313 Capital C

I'll put you in touch with a fellow village idiot in Ayrshire!

Enough of that Capital C, I am neither an idiot or do I live in a village unless you people in Edinburgh consider Troon to be a village. Hang on, sorry Capital C, I've misunderstood, you are talking about the genuine village idiot Ayrshire Scot are you not?

345 Col B

sad-oh dominionists - a bit like alot of our unionists here

#333

Karin - what are you on about?

#338

Chump!

304. kimba / 2:25pm 21 Oct 2007

"METHS. why if you feel so strongly about Scotland don't you come home,or would that effect your tan!"

Coming back 3rd November sweetness. (ps...AS seeks observer status...read it).

351 Hi sexy. Troon is lovely. Bet you don't know any more about Troon than you do about the rest of Ayrshire tho? Eh? (where did I get the Eh? from)

Now, tell us why the Quebec homosexualist grouping should have UN observer status but not Scotland?

353 - I think you used "chump" last night as well. Mix up the lingo a bit troll or all your ID's just look like the same sad sad, and we wouldn't want that (we being you)

#19 Jack McSprog

"..., and most notably the constituent parts of the United Kingdom. (Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland and England are not countries.)

You are correct as far as Northern Ireland is concerned but all the rest are countries. United Kingdom is short for the formal name of the UK, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (since 1922). Great Britain was formed by the union of Scotland and England in 1707, Wales having been subsumed into the realm of England previously. It would be interesting to see how you would convince an English person that the country that he/she was born in is not a country.

#18

Absolutely. £2 billion of that would be Scotland's money. More than enough for an extra 1000 PCs and writing off graduate debt.

#340 Ayrshire Scot

We all live in hope.

175

How we define "Scottish" is a matter which is at best,out of our hands, thats assuming its possible to do so at all! Personally I dont even want to!

The simple fact is most people here are probably Strathclyde Briton (Welsh) and very few indeed have much Gaelic Speaking Scotti genes in their make up.IT matters not a jot.They are more likely Viking or Roman etc.

The simple fact is United nations recognise former nations as being a legitimacy which can be both accepted/enforced if the people desire to return to their former nationhood.Scotland qualifies irrespective of whether London likes it or not.

Anyone living here qualifies as being Scots,and my own personal view is include anyone who wishes it to be so. There is no definition of anyone genetically speaking probably,and all humans can be traced genetically as far back as about five common ancestors (I am assured by people who have studied such matters).

The SNP argument has always been one of economics and for obvious reasons.Equally obvious is why Unionists would want to argue on any level but economics! They would lose and the race card is the only one they hold!

The majority decide .Simple as that.

#351

I find myself apologising again for lowering myself to Media 1 and Ayrshire Scots level.

Troon is indeed a lovely place - and south of Dunblane!

#355 Ayrshire Scot

Now, tell us why the Quebec homosexualist grouping should have UN observer status but not Scotland?

Basically, I don't know and I don't care. OK?

354

"AS seeks observer status" - what you and marinka do is between yourselves. What do I seek oberserver status for? You are naughty.....

Or did you mean Salmond? humph

362 OK

then go away. This thread is about UN observer status for Scotland.

352. Ayrshire Scot™

God gave man Dominion over all the animals, the fish in the sea and the foul in the skies.

But some of them take liberties.

Unionist Sheep-shankers.

361 - Should you not have changed IDs. It wasn't you who posted at 351. Doh.....

#356

You have me confused with someone else!

I'm not the aforementioned troll!

No I'm sorry. I can't take this farce any longer. I must go for a siesta. OK if people know what they're talking about, but to completely misunderstand what observer status means really takes the biscuit.

All the posters slagging off what AS is doing and saying he can't..or it's not within his remit need to get a life. If you hate the guy or can't stand the SNP, then fine. Please though, know what the story is about.

He can ask. It may be blocked (as the Taiwanese are blocked by China), but he most certainly can ask.

...or do you hanker after the days with Jack McConnell in a kilt?...and "The best small country in the world?"

Well done Alex once again you have earned the respect of the Scottish Nation.

And Jock McSprog please drop the 'Jock' and 'Mc' bit from your name It's embarrassing to true scots to have a pillock like you adopt one of our stereotypes as part of your identity.

By all means 'sprog' spout your anti scottish bollocks but please don't associate the drivel with our proud heritage.

What do you want....I never said nuffin so don't take my name in vain..Nuff said on that subject ...Now about the Trams----

368 MEths

well said. While Scotland plays "host" to nuclear WMD and the toxic waste of one of the world's only fast breeder reactors, why should we knot have observer status on Test Ban Treaty, Non Proliferation Treaty discussions. And while NGOs like Sweden's gay rights organisation have such status, why should Scotland, with the majority of Europe's oil/ gas and as NATO's linchpin of the North Atlantic not have similar status?

I haven't read one argument yet from a unionist on the actual proposition, just attacks on Salmond.

I would like to observe the trams as well.

#371

As a self declared unionist perhaps I can offer my own argument.

As Britain is already represented why does Alex need to go?

Quote: A Scotland Office source added: "For Alex Salmond to seek an alliance with Iran and South Korea is an unpardonable folly".

If that is what they actually said, they obvioulsy don't know the difference between North Korea and South Korea...

And David Cairns' statement about sorting out the free personal care mess is another own goal - who broought in that particular piece of legislation, Cairns?

Seeing Alex Salmond running rings round the Labour party is like watching Brazil - and I mean the 1970 World Cup winning team.....

You know youre doing something right when other people want to be you......

How many posts is that in my name?

Now moving swiflty along. As I said earlier.

Salmond does not have Scotland's best interests at heart. He has Alex Salmond's best interests at heart. And that is why we must be cautious about him and his approach to Scotland's future.

#375

Begging your pardon if one of these "trolls"? has raised my ire and I pointed it in your direction!

Meths is right- the headline is rubbish- just read the article which contradicts the headline -OBSERVER STATUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

375 I prefered the troll

#365 Ayrshire Scot

You really are a sad pathetic and twisted wee individual. Your question @ 362 was "Now, tell us why the Quebec homosexualist grouping should have UN observer status but not Scotland"? to which my response @ 362 was "Basically, I do not know and do not care". You then sad man responded @ 364 with "then go away. This thread is about UN observer status for Scotland" Why would I want to know why any particular group such as the Quebec group have been given such a status. And where have I stated that Scotland should not have observational status at the UN?

You seem to have some aversion to gays and homosexuality; would you like to explain to us all what it is?

As I say, you are one sad pathetic and twisted wee individual. Now away with you and share that with your wee playmates in the kindergarten.

373 You dont even know what observor status means do you?

379 You have no idea how wrong your post is on oh so many levels. That actually makes it hilarious.

Karin m

I cant help it. I am passionate about Scotland and when people like Salmond come along and put our country under threat, its time to react.

Put our country under threat what are you wittering about man.
WE have the biggest threat to humanity sitting in our country at the behest of another against the wishes of the scottish electorate and the scottish parliament and you say our first minister is a threat wake up you fool.

#380

Karin - you assume too much.

The question has to be why would we spend more public money to send someone to sit and watch everyone else?

When the British representative is there he/she represents the Scots as well as the English et al.

Meths. 3rd november, you'll be home for the fireworks lol!

media 1
you are a poor excuse for a scot in any country i am ashamed of you. Do you not feel shame at what you are doing. You are Wrong. You will allways be wrong on this. nucleur weapons are an abomination.

387 He is seeking observor status you fool. Go look it up.

387 The question is why should the government at westminster pay for new trident and site in scotland against the wishes of the scottish people and the scottish parliament.

karinm, The EDP,are doing fine,apart from a certain Scotsman called gordon brown, who seems to think England is a region not a country,he has a lot to learn,and we will teach him well!

#390

Then explain oh wise one - what is the point?

To those accusing Alex of gesture politics, I'll give you a much better example! Back in the seventies and eighties the Labour dominated council of Dunbartonshire had the absolute ckeek to call itself 'a nuclear free authority' with Europe's prime target sitting on their doorstep and their MP consistently remaining silent on the issue. Meanwhile Labour activists, MPs, cooncillors and the whole sorry bunch banged on about getting rid of nukes, joining CND - When it came to getting into power at government level, what happened?

All the gestures for naught. Ignoring the wishes of the electorate, turning their backs on their 'principles' and ultimately, of course, tacitly allowing their Great Leader to mount the world stage and a charging tank into Iraq after blatantly lying to the British people.

Contrast - elected leader of the Scottish Government wants to have some form of voice at the UN to express the majority view of his own countryfolk that we do not have these things on our soil and in our waters by expressed demand of the people, but the opposite, that we seek to build a rapport with nations to find ways of expressing the very real desires of millions that these abominable weapons of mass destruction are, in as practical and safe a way as possible, consigned to the bin.

In doing this he also gives Scotland some voice, some distinctive voice, which is not talking appeasement, but fraternity with the rest of the world that wants rid of all nuclear weapons worldwide.

Vain-glorious? Or simply letting the world know not all the peoples of the UK are rampant imperialists hell bent on world domination?

If the latter, I can forgive the former....

Well as I add my name to this forum (#389?) Mr. Salmond can certainly get the folks talking!!!

Well done Alex! Keep up the good work - you are no doubt more interesting (and gutsy) than most of the politicians ever mentioned here - the readers here either admire you or feel threatened by you. I have enjoyed reading these comments, they most definitely will not bore you. You have their attention.

BONNIE SCOTLAND FOREVER!!!

Now comment number 397???? If I can get this in!!!

376. Capital C, Edinburgh

Thanks for answering my question.

http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=1678232...

The point is that we want these weapons of mass destruction removed from our country. And if other countries can help us in this then that is good. We want to make it clear to other countries that we do not want these weapons here.

#391

No. His/her name is less important than the fact they exist!

# 392

You are another one speaking for the scottish people. MSPs and MPs are meant to speak for their constituents but surley you have to agree that in reality they represent their own views?

On trident, I wish it didn't exist but have to conclude it is a necessary evil.

Karinm. you and your kind are the biggest threat to this country, and i'm talking about Great Britain, please stop this wild cat attitude as all it will achieve is westminster will get even more determined to give Scotland sweet F-A, as of such that in turn will hamper the EDP.

It is hilarious reading the teenage naivety of the SNP voter.

Scrap the technology and use convential arms. We'd all be dead in week, can you imagine the heart deseased obese Scot running around with his tin hat and rifle? It does make me laugh.

Maybe we should put all the bad men on an island on their own and just learn to love each other? Hehe, the Scotsman would starve, he is fat and useless and does nothing.

We genuinely do need nuclear technology to balance the field. The SNP just demand free money for the lazy and pathetic, isn't universal suffrage wonderful? The brain drain is already happening again, an island of worthless smegs demanding foreign engineers get oil out our seas for their benefits will be Scotland 2015.

391. The spook in Leith

His biography can be found here, I have forgotten his name already.

The only thing I remember about him is that he dye's his hair.

http://www.britishembassy.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=O...

401
Do you actually even understand democracy and the voting system. Mps and MSPs are elected to represent the people who voted for them. You are a troll you have to be to spout such drivel.

As for trident you said "I wish it didn't exist but have to conclude it is a necessary evil"

Necessary evil. What like hitler. Like the slave trade. What other evil things do you classify as necessary. Murder rape torture are they part of necessary evil as well.

Face it your wrong you know your wrong but are a unionist apologist much like those who denied they had anything to do with the nazi party. Never again will people stand by and let people like you lead them. Begone you pathetic excuse for a human being.

404 my last post also applies to you. Murderer unionist nazi clone.

Wee Wendy has just been on Politics Scotland.

Recently appointed as leader of the Scottish Parliamentary Labour group, when asked for her stance on spending an absolute minimum of £20 billion on the renewal of Trident was......er......emm......I don't really have one.

The unionistas are just like the people who supported hitler unquestioning in their loyalty see no evil hear no evil. How in their tiny minds do they live with themselves.

410 well thats what we have come to expect from her craig no more no less. Well maybe lots of less.

#404. Andy Dufresne

Where's your 'shrooms man.

Have a nice dooms-day.

David Cairns needs kicked out of office now. What kind of person directs his attention firstly to the small issues, and only then tackles the important ones. Yet he wants to focus on the "bread and butter" issues. In other words Salmond should focus on the token issues that are devolved, and let Westminster run the important issues.

Thanks to these weapons we have many missiles aimed at Scotland, and until now no way to do anytihng about it. As a signatory to the NPT we have a legally binding obligation to pursue good faith efforts to get rid of nuclear weapons. Not only have we reneged on that, we further do so by pursuing an upgrade to what we have, and yet FURTHER breach our obligations by pushing other countries to search for nuclear means to defend themselves from us and our allies.

No more, and not in our name. Well done to Alex Salmond for taking the difficult path, which will expose the UK hypocrisy for what it is.

If we truly need these weapons for future defense (and there's a sizable argument in favour of that) let's do so in an open manner - come out of the NPT and tell the world that sorry, might is right - as we've always demonstrated, and we have no intention to get rid of these. But the current rank hypocrisy sickens me, as we upgrade our own arsenal, all the while saying how abhorrent it is that other nations try to develop a fraction of our capabilities with which to deter us.

"We genuinely do need nuclear technology to balance the field"

So do Iran - in fact they genuinely need it to avoid being invaded. But we're none too happy to let them level the field.

It's a weapon of domination, not of leveling the field.

413

Eh? I'm not sure I follow.

Every country gets told if you make the nuclear club there will be harsh punishments. Every country that has ignored that advice and made the nuclear club has immediately been invited to the table to discuss their economic interests for the first time.

Do you think people will take notice of some pro-independence delusional cretin with illusions of grandeaur who wants to be penpals on the issue of bad men with proper leaders of indutrial powers?

414

Well said Scot_B.

408. Get a grip, you are getting hysterical.

#407

The first word of my reply at 401 "NO". I think you'll agree that is a fairly succinct admission that I don't know the persons name. My point remains that I don't need to know the persons name but I do know they exist.

How anyone can assume that they don't represent all British interests is beyond me!

#406

Karin,

I understand the system and democracy very well thankyou.
Do you really think that MPs etc are privy to the views of every one of their constituents. The system means it is very unlikely that they have the support of the majority of the electorate in their own constituency. It doesn't follow that their vote is a true reflection of the electorates views!

As for your assertion that my thinking one evil is necessary means I must think all other evils the same is pathetic.

Unionism itself is evil according to you and yet you go banging on about democracy?

As for begone etc - grow up!!!!

The voice of Scotland heard on the world stage for what is probably the fist time in this capacity. Gives one a sense of Scottish pride,unless of course you happen to be a unionist.

I can't honestly say I have read all the 403 letters before mine but;
No. 40: “suppose Al Qaeda steals a Pakistani Nuclear submarine and sails it up the Thames….” Well, not impossible, I suppose, not very likely, but let’s suppose they did. Are you saying that we should fight them with Trident Missiles? In the Thames? If not what are you saying?
I applaud Alex. More power to your elbow Sir!
The trouble with all nuclear weapons is that no one with any pretence to morality can use one. If one were to, it would be entirely counter productive. If a lot of them werte used we should all be dead. Why have them? Who are 'our' Tridents aimed at? France? The USA? Al Qaeda? North Korea? Zimbabwe? My mind boggles! I cannot think of a single rational target, can anyone out there?

According to 'The New Scientist', there is a facility in Aldermaston (Ithink, anyway, somewhere in the middle of England) that the Nuclear Inspectors have condemned as unsafe. The Ministry of Defence has refused to allow it to be repaired, on the grounds that it would interfere with the urgent servicing of Tridend warheads. So, in other words it is so urgent to have our Trident missiles in working order today, that we are prepared to risk a radioactive 'event' in the middle of a densely populated area. Does anyone understand that? I just don't get it!

I assume that Tibet, the Basque country and Chechnya will also be welcomed and granted such status?

#406

when you Elect a representative you give him your power when his term is over you get your power back to give the next representative you choose.

What they do with your power is only constrained by the law. there is no obligation to pay any attention to their Electors what so ever.

Thats representative Democracy..Nuff said Cheerio !

424

If it was up to me,aye.

#413 Colonel Blimp IV

You neglected to answer the question I asked this morning (way back at #187) A response would be nice as your mindset is of interest.

42 you said
my thinking one evil is necessary means I must think all other evils the same is pathetic.

i see so now there is a sliding scale of evilness. Hadnt seen that before how does it go. is it
little bit evil, little bit more evil, mostly evil, all evil, evilness extreme

pathetic yes you are.

428=answer to 421

402 moana
"please stop this wild cat attitude'
And your problem with wild cats would be..........

417 Andy "illusions of grandeaur"
That's twice you've used that phrase and I'll repeat Meths earlier question, What the h@ll is that?

bottler maggie broon,
the big issue seller, has rallied all his unionist agents up early this morning they just cant keep up to our new prime minister of scotland putting our nations interests first in the world stage. cant wait for our country to become independent.

#428/429

Karin - Wow, you really need to go easy on the caffeine!

Sliding scale for evil? Interesting notion. Turns out there is one. It's enshrined in Scots Law and it's the reason that some rapists and paedophiles are free to walk the streets while others rot in prison.

I'm no fascist, nazi or any other evil thing you rail against. As for hear no evil, see no evil - sadly I hear and see an awful lot of it in the press and on the streets.

Maybe the 1000 extra cops will sort that out?

379 Codger, I smell leakage. You always give yourself away when you spit the dummy.

It would be sad, I agree if I came on here claiming to be from Ayrshire when I am not, to impersonate someone.

I have nothing at at all against gay people. I have everything in favour of Scotland having equal status with NGOs at the UN, as a minimum and immediate starting point - better status will have to await independence.

Now, can you not just go back to irate and spittle-flecked phone calls to the Scotsman, Maltese Codger, instead of throwing yer (granted very amusing) wee fits of childish rage on here?

Love (no hugs, you still know why, leaky one) - AS. x

Brilliant! Alex just gets better every day. The reason the unionists loathe him is because he is showing how much of a farce the current arrangement is and the previous adminstration were.

Scotland Office Minister David Cairns said: "Another week, another conflict, why doesnt he just toe the party line and keep quiet like the previous lot did"

394. Capital C, Edinburgh / 3:35pm 21 Oct 2007

#390

"Then explain oh wise one - what is the point?"

To put it quite simply, "If you have observer status it doesn't just mean you observe! You also have the right to speak."

Sorry to but in, but I've just finished my nap.

430. who the hell is "moana"? as for wild cats, karinm needs to calm down.

Andy Dufresne

All your arguments for the UK having nuclear weapons are equally valid for countries such as Iran and North Korea. In fact, they are more valid since those countries are under constant threat from the world's most belligerent nuclear war-machine, the US.

All power to Alex Salmond in his efforts on behalf of the people of Scotland.

Incidentally, your reliance on facile ethnic stereotypes says far more about you than those you attack in such a puerile manner. And what it says about you does nothing at all to justify your arrogance.

423 Antony - great post

401 etc Capital C

you assume there is never a divergence between "British" and Scottish interests:
- Clearly, when the UK was trying to dump nuclear waste from all over the world in Scotland there was.
- Clearly when the UK seeks to dump nuclear WMD in Scotland there is.
- When the UK government wanted, in its own words to "sacrifice" the Scottish fishing industry in EU negotiations there was.
- When the UK government chose to deceive and lie deliberately on the economics of oil and independence there was.

Your argument of Scotland better represented by UK would have an iota of credibility, but for the fact that Scottish interests have often been sold down the river by UK government. What value UK representation for Scotland when it is often indifferent to Scottish interest and often actively hostile?

sh....Staples is here....sh......

#435

Karin - oops I think you forgot your medication.

As for your plea for me to hold my breath - how long do you suggest?

I believe the nazis you are so fond of mentioning had a similar attitude to people they deemed less useful to society!

If you really want to call someone evil - take a look in the mirror!!!!

All operatives

ALL operatives

maintain radio silence.

repeat

maintain radio silence

message ends

over and out.

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Hello trade marks.

operative 443

maintain radio silence..

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MtnKat

"illusions of grandeaur" by A N Other poster. Shoosh now. He isn't the ONLY poster over the past few weeks to use this phrase.

65 Thomas J, Dunfermline / 7:23am 21 Oct 2007

'While he is at it he should ask the Westminster Government to come and get the 7 nuclear submarine hulks that are lying at Rosyth'

Is it true when the snow falls in Rosyth the decommissioned nuclear submarines lying off shore never let the snow stay on their hulks?
That the said hulks are guarded by military police that patrol the perimeter fence around the sight and don't let anyone take pictures.
Does anyone have pictures to prove this rumour?

#439

As a unionist of course I think that to stand up for British or UK interests is to stand up for Scottish interests as I believe they are one and the same.

Scotlands geography (though my erroneous posting earlier proves I'm no expert!) makes it ideally suited for certain nuclear installations.

I still think that Scotland is enjoying the benefits of the deterrent policy. The dumping of nuclear waste from the rest of the world I am not in favour of. I wouldn't want it to land in Kent or Cornwall either.

Nuclear may yet turn out to be our saviour when the fossil fuels run out and nimbyism about the waste is a thorny issue.

444...Who are we hiding from...

#424

You have actually brought up a rather interesting point here - had you but realised it.

448 staples. aka capital c

447 Capital C
"to stand up for British or UK interests is to stand up for Scottish interests "

Can you then explain how Scottish interests are served by:

• The UK government trying to dump nuclear waste from outwith the UK in Scotland?
• The UK government which, in its own documents, revealed an intention to "sacrifice" the Scottish fishing industry
• The UK macro-economic policy throughout the late 80s/90s of high interest rates, when Scotland has no credit/ import boom, a policy which damaged Scottish industry further
• The UK government failing to back the Eurofed for Edinburgh campaign
• The UK government failing to back for 10 years the campaign for Objective 1 funding for the Highlands?