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Does Scotland have the courage to grasp its own future, to be master of its destiny, and to make decisions for Scots taken by Scots, or are Governments in Westminster, for which the majority of the Scottish people didn’t vote, going to continue to rule Scotland repeatedly? Are Scots going to bow to the manipulation of fear? If the Scottish people largely didn’t vote for the Government in Westminster, then, why is it making decisions that shape the livelihoods and futures of the Scottish people and their children? Let’s look at the opportunities that an independent Scotland could take advantage of.
First, an independent Scotland would be nothing new. After all, it only joined England and Wales in the Union in 1707. Secondly, an independent Scotland would hardly be the smallest country in Europe. There exist many examples of small but prosperous countries with fewer resources and a smaller… far smaller… geographical area than those of Scotland. Thirdly, an independent Scotland would have a massive economic zone around it, stretching out into the Arctic… indeed, Scotland could become an Arctic nation, using its considerable scientific and technological expertise towards harnessing the untold wealth under the seas… mineral wealth to be discovered, fisheries, and alternative energies. If Scotland used the Scottish Pound divorced from GBP or created a new currency, it’d be free to follow its own economic policies, using its currency as leverage to create jobs and wealth by favouring exports, translating this into opportunities and work posts for its youth and added income for the State through revenue from taxation and duties.
Famous for its whisky, Scotland produces a range of products in numerous areas of economic activity in all three economic sectors… in the primary sector, Scotland produces barley, fish, Iron-Bru, beer, potatoes, whisky, timber, shortbread, and mineral waters; in the secondary sector, from cutting-edge technologies in aerospace and naval systems to vehicles for public transportation, computer hardware and software development, from chemical products to oil and gas, electricity, electronics, pharmaceutical products and renewable energies, ships and textiles; in the tertiary sector, Scotland is also a major player in business and financial services.
Despite threats from London and the EU to make things as difficult as possible for Scotland, as they try to scare Scots with hypothetical “What if…” questions, so, what if Scotland left NATO? Who’s going to invade Scotland, Mars? Or Burkina Faso? Maybe, the Færøe Isles? If Scotland left NATO, it’d be free from its massive payment to the coffers of this organisation, whose annual budget is 1.2 trillion USD (45.4 trillion Roubles. 7.4 trillion Renminbi. 73 trillion INR. 1.33 trillion CAD. 1.32 trillion AUD. 926 billion Euros. 738 billion UK Pounds) {that’s a combined total of military budgets for all NATO states: BMD}. Each year, every year. Perhaps, England and the USA would like to pay rent for their bases in Scotland, bringing in more revenue. In fact, an independent Scotland would be free from the web of deceit, skulduggery, arrogance, and intrusion that Washington and its NATO poodles in Europe weave and impose on other countries and cultures, creating hatred, sowing chaos, and reaping terrorist threats at every turn. It’d be an island of peace, stability, and prosperity; respected by all, not hated.
As far as the EU concerned, Norway’s just been named as one of the three most prosperous nations on Earth. Does Norway belong to the EU? Switzerland is also in the top three. Does Switzerland belong to the EU? There’d also be nothing to stop Scotland becoming a Tax Haven for companies the world over to set up their headquarters, bringing added value, income, and capital to the country, bringing also opportunities for its citizens. In fact, Scotland has the full potential to become a pioneer for tomorrow, taking advantage of its formidable geostrategic position at the southern gateway to the Arctic, the western gateway to the Baltic, the Eastern gateway to the North Atlantic, its area of influence spanning a vast area from Norway to the Americas, with untold riches lying on its northern shores, waiting to be harnessed. Finally, tourism. From the Scottish Isles to Loch Ness, from Ben Nevis to the lochs, from that beautiful pearl, Edinburgh, to the Orkneys, to the Shetlands, from its magnificent scenery, its castles, its golf, its restaurants, gastronomy, wildlife, Scotland has the potential to become one of the world’s leading tourist destinations. After all, what’s holding Scotland back?
11 September 2014
Timothy Bancroft-Hinchey
Pravda.ru
http://english.pravda.ru/opinion/columnists/11-09-2014/128500-scotland_independence-0/
Voices from Russia 
Scotland: The Courage to Grasp the Future?
Tags: Alex Salmond, British, British Isles, England, EU, European Union, Great Britain, NATO, political commentary, politics, referendum, Scotland, Scots, Scottish independence, Scottish people, Scottish referendum, sovereignty, UK, United Kingdom
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Does Scotland have the courage to grasp its own future, to be master of its destiny, and to make decisions for Scots taken by Scots, or are Governments in Westminster, for which the majority of the Scottish people didn’t vote, going to continue to rule Scotland repeatedly? Are Scots going to bow to the manipulation of fear? If the Scottish people largely didn’t vote for the Government in Westminster, then, why is it making decisions that shape the livelihoods and futures of the Scottish people and their children? Let’s look at the opportunities that an independent Scotland could take advantage of.
First, an independent Scotland would be nothing new. After all, it only joined England and Wales in the Union in 1707. Secondly, an independent Scotland would hardly be the smallest country in Europe. There exist many examples of small but prosperous countries with fewer resources and a smaller… far smaller… geographical area than those of Scotland. Thirdly, an independent Scotland would have a massive economic zone around it, stretching out into the Arctic… indeed, Scotland could become an Arctic nation, using its considerable scientific and technological expertise towards harnessing the untold wealth under the seas… mineral wealth to be discovered, fisheries, and alternative energies. If Scotland used the Scottish Pound divorced from GBP or created a new currency, it’d be free to follow its own economic policies, using its currency as leverage to create jobs and wealth by favouring exports, translating this into opportunities and work posts for its youth and added income for the State through revenue from taxation and duties.
Famous for its whisky, Scotland produces a range of products in numerous areas of economic activity in all three economic sectors… in the primary sector, Scotland produces barley, fish, Iron-Bru, beer, potatoes, whisky, timber, shortbread, and mineral waters; in the secondary sector, from cutting-edge technologies in aerospace and naval systems to vehicles for public transportation, computer hardware and software development, from chemical products to oil and gas, electricity, electronics, pharmaceutical products and renewable energies, ships and textiles; in the tertiary sector, Scotland is also a major player in business and financial services.
Despite threats from London and the EU to make things as difficult as possible for Scotland, as they try to scare Scots with hypothetical “What if…” questions, so, what if Scotland left NATO? Who’s going to invade Scotland, Mars? Or Burkina Faso? Maybe, the Færøe Isles? If Scotland left NATO, it’d be free from its massive payment to the coffers of this organisation, whose annual budget is 1.2 trillion USD (45.4 trillion Roubles. 7.4 trillion Renminbi. 73 trillion INR. 1.33 trillion CAD. 1.32 trillion AUD. 926 billion Euros. 738 billion UK Pounds) {that’s a combined total of military budgets for all NATO states: BMD}. Each year, every year. Perhaps, England and the USA would like to pay rent for their bases in Scotland, bringing in more revenue. In fact, an independent Scotland would be free from the web of deceit, skulduggery, arrogance, and intrusion that Washington and its NATO poodles in Europe weave and impose on other countries and cultures, creating hatred, sowing chaos, and reaping terrorist threats at every turn. It’d be an island of peace, stability, and prosperity; respected by all, not hated.
As far as the EU concerned, Norway’s just been named as one of the three most prosperous nations on Earth. Does Norway belong to the EU? Switzerland is also in the top three. Does Switzerland belong to the EU? There’d also be nothing to stop Scotland becoming a Tax Haven for companies the world over to set up their headquarters, bringing added value, income, and capital to the country, bringing also opportunities for its citizens. In fact, Scotland has the full potential to become a pioneer for tomorrow, taking advantage of its formidable geostrategic position at the southern gateway to the Arctic, the western gateway to the Baltic, the Eastern gateway to the North Atlantic, its area of influence spanning a vast area from Norway to the Americas, with untold riches lying on its northern shores, waiting to be harnessed. Finally, tourism. From the Scottish Isles to Loch Ness, from Ben Nevis to the lochs, from that beautiful pearl, Edinburgh, to the Orkneys, to the Shetlands, from its magnificent scenery, its castles, its golf, its restaurants, gastronomy, wildlife, Scotland has the potential to become one of the world’s leading tourist destinations. After all, what’s holding Scotland back?
11 September 2014
Timothy Bancroft-Hinchey
Pravda.ru
http://english.pravda.ru/opinion/columnists/11-09-2014/128500-scotland_independence-0/