It should depend on whether their crimes had any relation to their duties IMO. If someone serves in the army, and then later is convicted of rape, then they still served right? But if someone is a spy or rapes someone while enlisted then it’s different.

I’d want more than a medal to be willing to go through a freezing artic sea filled with submarines 😮

@Creaking Door

I do not want to prevent Scottish independence. What some of us would like however, is to watch the SNP try to balance their budget with Scotland’s share of North Sea oil and gas which they are forever harping on about, but this is mainly for our own entertainment!

I am completely in favour of democratic resolution, but I am also in favour of equality on the vote. Therefore, I feel that not only should Scotland get a referendum on independence, but the rest of the UK should also get a referendum on whether Scotland is allowed to remain in the UK. If in either case Scotland is voted out, they must leave.

Salmond: “We got’s oil…”

No 1 we dont need a wall. It was the Romans who built one to keep us out. 🙂

No 2 Hmmmm No Passports I dont think causes too much hassle. You can place machine gun towers far cheaper than you can process passports so maybe that is the way forward.

No 3 If you like we really dont mind but doesnt he live in Monaco?

And as for Empires thats when Britain really was Great. When she had a sense of pride in their Empire. Misguided or not in taking part of the Empire over it was a very good time for this country. It only started to fall apart when we started to give it back.

Point 1: Scotland may well need a wall or fence, since from what I’ve heard about Salmonds policies he will have a different system with things like VAT and alcohol pricing, which will encourage illegal importation.

Point 2: Scotland will need to choose whether they want to join the Schengen area or not. Salmond seems pro-EU, so it’s possible he might join. The UK is completely against. If Scotland joins the Schengen area, then passports will be required.

@Al
5 people voting to rape and murder a 6th person is also democracy.

@richw_82
Indeed, the independence has to go through Westminster. The government has said however, that they don’t intend to block it, and TBH I don’t think many English MPs would be that bothered by Scotland leaving!

@richw_82
I’ve yet to see anyone with an opinion poll showing that people would vote in favour.

@spitfireman
I too am very much looking forward to watching the Scottish National Party spend big using their vast pot of oil, which they claim to be so very sufficient! Let’s see if these wells are as deep as they suggest 😉

@John Green

The nuclear powered submarine would have to transit to the location, and since we have about 8, it is probably going to be a long trip! There are no Tornados in the Falklands, they were replaced by Typhoons a while back.

Whether the UK can defend them depends to a great extent on how much warning they have of a probable attempt, and how many forces the UK really has available. If they have some notice they can shift some extra Typhoons if they can find any, and some ground forces by air. C17s could be particularly interesting here as they could send some quite nasty bits of kit, like Apaches, MLRS, heavy arty ect. With a defenders advantage, sending well equipped defensive troops would also have a big impact, if the UK sends 1000 troops in C130s, then the Argies could need to find as many as 3000 to counter that.

It’s well past the purile name-calling stage – independence is going to happen because the majority of the Scottish electorate want it.

Not according to any poll I’ve ever seen. Voting SNP does not equate to voting yes in a referendum.

Drunk men in skirts 😀

His policy will mainly involve keeping bases open and people employed, focusing on the units and such with the most electoral and PR value, with little consideration for actual military capabilities. So mostly an army with an air force composed of light planes and some helicopters, and navy with some patrol ships.

They could have shot it down, but they couldn’t have taken remote control of it.