By Professor John Robertson OBA
I’m an SNP member and no one has consulted me on my views regarding the polices currently being developed on the hoof by First Minister John Swinney and Westminster Foreign Affairs spokesperson Stephen Gethins, apparently accepting the deployment of Scottish troops in the Ukraine and calling for a ban on a democratically elected US president visiting Scotland.
Do I have to repeat how horrible I think Trump is before reminding people that he is the popular choice, whether we like it or not, of the American people. Further, if we’re into banning people, why is there no call to ban meetings with Israeli politicians or close the Israeli consulate in Glasgow, after the horrific abuse of human rights, the war crimes, perpetrated by Israel in Palestine?
That the SNP leader seems, today, so accepting of the need for unconditional support of the regime in Ukraine and for Scottish soldiers to serve as ‘peacekeepers‘ on the volatile border between the Ukraine and Russia fills me with anger and dismay. It reminds me of the tragic events in 2008, in the Helmand region of Afghanistan, when the UK Labour government sent UK troops as peacekeepers only for 100 to die (some Scots examples above), for no reason in the end, in a bloody battle compared to the Alamo! The eastern parts of the Ukraine have seen the same horror as in the Helmand province and so-called peacekeepers will be no safer there.
I call for the SNP leadership to consult with the members to find out what the majority view is on Scottish soldiers serving in the Ukraine, on unconditional support for Ukraine and on banning the President of the United States from visiting Scotland.
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
I find it a little odd that suggestions of UK troops being deployed to be involved in the Ukraine war with Russia. NATO has repeatedly insisted that no NATO country can be involved other than financial and equipment supply to the Ukrainian forces.
Anything can happen in the future but any talk of a NATO member state sending troops into Ukraine is a tad premature is it not?
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The more I see and hear of this the more I can’t help thinking this is warmongering at the expense of Ukraine.
Starmer has donned the Emporer’s clothes and clearly thinks he’s in command in his golden room surrounded by Union Jacks. Dear God!
Why now I’m asking? It’s been 3 years. Why is it SO important at this moment in time to push?
How can they be SO sure this can be contained. They should not be underestimating Russia – or its very powerful BRICS allies. So why are they doing this, and why now?
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I am also an SNP member and I’m appalled at the blatant Atlanticist stance the SNP is taking on this issue. Stephen Gethins should represent the interests of his constituents and not the neo-liberal war mongers who seem to have a visceral hatred of Russia which I don’t share.
In 2019, as soon as Zelensky was elected president of Ukraine, on a platform of peace and diplomacy, he awarded Stewart McDonald, SNP defence spokesman, the Star of Kiev. The Kiev Post has the detail.
https://archive.ph/FP6gi
Scotland should give Keir Starmer’s grandstanding the cold shoulder IMO.
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Indeed, Atlanticism – groomed at Glasgow U to infect several SNP senior staff too.
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More Labour illegal wars to distract from the mess Labour are making of the economy. Warmongering parasites. Instead of stopping war, fuelling war. Trident dumped in Scotland. Putting Scotland in danger. Redundant weaponry wasting £Billions. Sold on the black market. To cause havoc worldwide. Starmer the International lawyer supporting illegal wars to. Spending £Billions on it. Cutting pensioners winter fuel allowance. Leaving them to starve and die of cold.
The SNP members should tell the leadership what they think, before more people lose their lives, needlessly. The SNP could lose more members.
UK 180,000 military personnel. 10,000 based in Scotland. Scotland pays disproportionate for war and Defence. £1Billion too much. No navy to patrol the shores.
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What people are not understanding is that there is no way on earth that Russia will allow troops from NATO countries to serve as “peacekeepers.” They have said this very clearly. The US/NATO is in NO position to dictate terms to Russia. This war will end on Russia’s terms – no other country’s. And the war will end only when there is a new security architecture in place that guarantees not only Russian but Eurasian security. Again, Russia has repeated this many times.
We are only at the very beginning stages of discussing the possibility of bringing the war to an end. It will be a very long process. The first meeting of the US and Russia in Riyadh hardly discussed Ukraine. Other topics took precedence. And the only concrete steps agreed were to staff us the embassies in Moscow and Washington, which have been depleted over the last 3 years when the US REFUSED to even speak to Moscow.
See my piece on the Origins of Russophobia to try to understand the roots of the irrational hatred the West has for Russia. https://dearscotland.substack.com/p/the-origins-of-russophobia-or-russia
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Just as his predecessors have done before when their Party and/or personal popularity is in the gutter the saviour has always been to many PM’s the need to conjure up yet another conflict that demands a British leadership and military response which I note is already being applauded by the English media as re-asserting Britain’s rightful and strategic role as a world power once again. Yes Starmer is just what Britain needs on the world stage to bridge the gap between Europe and America. ‘Harrah’ I hear you cry do or die. Rule Britannia.
I’m an atheist but Scotland desperately needs divine intervention now to get us out of this fffg Union asap.
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Scots being sent to Ukraine to defend their rights to Sovereignty and democracy whilst being denied the same rights here doesn’t seem right to me.
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