Scottish Referendum – Page 3

Another General Adds His Support to Better Together

General Loudon – Governor of Edinburgh Castle & Better Together supporter – Adds his signature Supporting No in the Referendum

1. General Euan Loudon Keeps Proposed Changes From Soldiers

a. 2003-2005. A series of discussions, (at the highest level) were conducted within the Scottish Regimental heirarchy pertaining to major organisational change, at the time Scottish soldiers were deployed to the war in Iraq and other operational areas. Although there was some dissemination of information at senior levels, this did not include junior ranks in case they became upset.

2. A concerned ex-soldier – Major (retd) Michael Hamilton, wrote to the Scottish Herald- Opening up the Debate to a wider Audience- He was not popular

a. His letter. August 2005. Soldiers are being kept ignorant of Army changes – General Euan Loudon says that sniping from the sidelines dispirits the serving community. So what is General Loudon really up to? Sounding off about tartan, cap badges and the retired Army community. Both expect us to follow the scent of their red herring. The main issues are not cap badges and tartans, important symbols though these are.

b. Soldiers read the Scottish tabloids, not the Scottish broadsheets in which almost all the articles and letters on the changes have been published. If General Loudon had visited the Naafi and local shops in the Falklands (company group of the KOSB), in Colinton near Dreghorn Barracks in Edinburgh (Royal Scots) , Warminster (Black Watch), Canterbury (The Highlanders), Cyprus (RHF) and Omagh (KOSB) he would know that Scottish broadsheets are not on sale. We have asked men and their families serving there. Recently I asked the newsagent in Colinton how many Jocks bought the Scottish broadsheets. He scornfully said, “You must be an officer. They read the tabloids.”

c. In all Scottish regiments, there is widespread ignorance of the reform proposals. You can meet uniformed Jocks from the Royal Scots in the streets here in Edinburgh. They recently told me, “We are all right, the KOSB are amalgamating with us – we are not amalgamating with them, ” revealing a complete failure to appreciate what is really going on. Questioned about briefings on the changes from officers, they look puzzled and say no one has briefed them. Told that they would soon be wearing the kilt and a different cap badge they laughed and told me to stop taking the mickey.

d. The first main issue is that all ranks are forbidden to speak to the media and even to their own families about the proposed reforms. So let us now challenge the ministers of defence and the Army Board to open the ranks of the six affected Scottish battalions to the media with a guarantee of no victimization and the right to speak with back to the camera with voice disguised. Let them speak the truth. If the majority want their regiments to be abolished, the campaigners will respect their freely expressed wishes and fall silent. We do not fear free speech or the truth. We put no spin on anything. We do not need to.

e. The second main issue is that instead of moving in regimental communities in which wives travel with their friends, and children move en bloc from school to school secure in whole classes, the Scottish infantry and their families will be moved just as frequently but in penny packets from battalion to battalion thus disrupting military teams and the social fabric of whole regimental communities.

f. The Regiments of Foot Guards and the Parachute Regiment have a rather more preferential deal. The Guards are not being required to move from regiment to regiment, and the Parachute Regiment is now garrisoned in Colchester, so that a posting from one battalion to another involves no move of house and school. Jobs for wives are easy to come by in these regiments: try getting a job for your wife in Omagh or Fallingbostel.

g. The third main issue is that the Scottish regiments carry a DISPROPORTIONATE share of operational duties and casualties. Details of deployments and overstretch were published in The Herald on 18 August 2005. Statistics of British Army personnel killed and injured are published on the internet each year, showing deaths by regiment and corps.

http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/spl/aberdeen/soldiers-kept-ignorant-of-army-changes-1.45143

Military Veterans Called Up to Support Better Together

1. Military Veterans on both sides of the referendum debate are being lined up to issue a plea for voters to back their campaigns. Those voting No:

a. More than 400 former servicemen and women have signed a statement arguing that Scotland will be stronger and more secure as part of the United Kingdom.

b. Ruth Davidson, leader of the Scottish Conservatives, said: ” Britain’s Armed Forces help make this world a safer place. “We are stronger and safer together. These veterans know it and will be voting to keep Scotland secure as part of the United Kingdom on Thursday. I urge undecided voters to listen to their words and back a No vote too.”

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/sep/16/military-veterans-scottish-referendum-independence

2. Opening Narrative

Confusing Confusing. One of the Signatories, (according to the Telegraph is Major General Andrew McKay (Retd). But his views of the existing Westminster / Whitehall Set-up is well reported. He resigned his command in protest at the level of incompetence placing our armed forces in harms way, ill trained, poorly equipped and operationally directed by incompetent Westminster politicians from London, (5000 miles distant). His story follows.

3. 03 Jan 2010 Ministry of Defence (MOD) is, “institutionally incapable” of succeeding in Afghanistan – Major General Andrew Mackay, former commander of Britain’s military operation in Helmand province:

a. Major-General Andrew MacKay said the MoD had failed to adapt to 21st Century wars, instead issuing messages from London that often had “no relevance at ground level”. He said the British Army had, “consistently failed” to understand the motivations of local Afghans and called for a fresh “hearts and minds” strategy focusing on the local culture and economy.

b. His critique, written in a paper published by the Defence Academy, Britain’s armed forces university, comes four months after he resigned his position as head of the British Army in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Northern England in frustration at a lack of equipment and resources and the direction of the Afghan war.

c. The 40-page report was co-authored by Steve Tatham, a senior commander in the Royal Navy. The pair said the work is the product of two years’ experience on the ground in the battle against the Taliban.

d. “From the top of the Mod through to the army’s staff colleges, the structures, despite the best will in the world, are institutionally incapable of keeping pace with rapid change and the associated willingness to adapt – and quickly – at the same time,” the paper concluded.

e. The MoD was failing to keep pace with wars fought “in the information age”, when every assault is open to immediate scrutiny, and careers in the army are built on “budgetary and management competence”. Messages from Whitehall officials were branded by the report “a diluted and distant memory” by the time they reached the front line.

f. An MoD spokesman said: “While the MoD will consider the findings of all its reports, they do not represent the views of the MoD or wider government.”

http://www.thecourier.co.uk/news/politics/veterans-groups-offer-debate-views-1.577915

4. Major-General Andrew Mackay – His Shock Resignation and the Reasons behind It

a. Major-General Andrew Mackay, a General who led the Afghanistan campaign has resigned over his disillusion in the direction of the Government’s strategy. Major Gen Mackay, 52, who was the architect of the military’s new counter insurgency doctrine, is said to have told colleagues of his anger at the lack of resources being put into the battle. He is also said to be “disillusioned” over the failure of the Foreign Office and Department for International Development in fulfilling their obligations in Afghanistan.

b. The resignation came as a significant blow to the Government and the Army as Major Gen Mackay, who led a brigade in Helmand, was seen as a leading proponent for readjusting Britain’s counter-insurgency plan that has foundered during three years of fighting in Helmand. He is the most senior officer to leave the Army as a result of disquiet over the direction of the campaign. Other high-profile resignations have included Brig Ed Butler and Col Stuart Tootal who have both later derided shortcomings in resources for Helmand.

c. Major Gen Mackay’s time as the Brigadier in charge of 52 Brigade in Helmand over the winter of 2007 was seen as an invigorating shake-up of the direction of the campaign and a template for future commanders. Upon arriving in Afghanistan, he was said to have been shocked that senior officers were “making it up as we go along”.

d. He realised that the British had to fully engage with the civilian population and led from the front in the re-taking of the Taliban held town of Musa Qala, at one point coming under direct fire from the enemy. He was awarded the CBE for his efforts. In a secret memo published in the book, “Operation Snakebite” by Stephen Grey Major Gen Mackay said much of the equipment was “tired, limited and failing regularly”.

e. In the document to Whitehall he described a “grave crisis” over equipment. Scimitar tanks could not go into reverse unless their engines were restarted and Vector vehicles were out of action because “the wheels just kept falling off, literally” and only one fifth of machine guns were working.

f. Major Nick Haston, who was Major Gen Mackay’s deputy chief of staff, resigned from the Army earlier this year in protest at bureaucratic incompetence. He said troops had been so short of vital equipment that his staff bought spares on the internet. “I would say that some of the people that procure [equipment] in our Ministry of Defence haven’t a clue,” he said.

g. Major Gen Mackay also talked about failure coming from the “top down” and that other Government agencies were not doing their part. The ‘bottom up’ approach, of soldier slogging it out in pitched battles with the Taliban, was only buying breathing space. Without reconstruction stepping in behind there was little chance of a long term solution.

h. The book said the “central tenets of counter insurgency doctrine” were failing. Senior military commanders are currently fighting for extra troops in Helmand and admit that they are suffering greater casualties as a result of not having enough soldiers on the ground. Downing Street is currently considering sending an extra battlegroup to Helmand of up to 1,000 men bringing the total to 10,000 but is said to be apprehensive about public opinion, cost and the potential for more casualties.

i. While the Ministry of Defence insisted that he had gone for “personal reasons” one general expressed “deep shock” at his departure.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/6228725/Afghanistan-general-quits-over-disillusionment-with-government-strategy.html

5. Where is He Now?

a. Major General Mackay now runs a strategic advisory company – Complexas Ltd. – which provides specialist services to the international extractive industries, specifically in Africa. He is also Executive Chairman of IOTA Global(Information Operations Training and Advisory Services), a specialised Information Operations company established by his co-author Commander Steve Tatham. In Aug 2014 Mackay and Tatham collaborated with Professor Jim Derleth to write a new paper on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in Africa.

Bob, Band Aid and how the rebels bought their arms. By Andrew Whitehead

A quarter of a century ago, the BBC’s Michael Buerk achieved something very rare – he not only reported the world, but changed it a little bit. His vivid on-the-spot coverage of a famine “of biblical proportions” in Tigray in Northern Ethiopia pricked the conscience of the richer part of the world. The money came pouring in. Bob Geldof’s Band Aid and Live Aid led the way in galvanising public attention, raising cash and mobilising a huge relief effort.
As a result, many thousands of lives were saved – and tens of thousands of those facing starvation received food.

In the past week, the BBC World Service has broadcast an Assignment documentary – you can listen to it here – based on the testimony of key figures on the ground in and around Tigray in the mid-1980s. It presents evidence, compelling evidence, that some of the famine relief donations were diverted by a powerful rebel group to buy weapons. The documentary has revealed some uncomfortable facts and provoked a strong response. This morning a British newspaper, The Independent, gives over its front page to complaints from Bob Geldof and several leading charities. They accuse the BBC of “disgracefully poor reporting”.

The documentary did not say that most famine relief money was used to buy weapons – it did not suggest that any relief agencies were complicit in the diversion of funds – it explicitly stated that “whatever the levels of deception, much aid did reach the starving”. But there is a clear public interest in determining whether some money given as famine relief ended up buying guns and bullets.

There follows a number of views expressed by Ethiopians themselves. They add value to Andrew Whiteheads report. Evidently Sir Bob has business outstanding to resolve. Instead of berating the Scot’s, pleading with them to remain part of his family he might be better employed seeking and providing answers to the many matters of contention raised by Ethiopians who feel angry, isolated and alone.

1. A View

It’s a foregone conclusion that any aid going to Third World countries, for whatever reason, becomes a prey to corrupt leaders and organizers. And we should thank BBC for doing some investigative journalism. In fact we could use a review of all aid programs and how the money is spent in order to better organise it any next time.

But it is easy to understand Sir Bob’s outright condemnation, pop stars have big egos, add to that a messianic complex, and you are on your way to infallible sainthood. A terrible blow to Bob’s achievement, but the altruistic motive remains untarnished.

This is not to deny the genuine humanitarian work done by Geldof and others but anyone familiar with Africa knows that a huge slice of aid inevitably gets diverted to suspect causes and lines the pockets of the powerful. The unwritten rule among the left is you can’t talk about it. The BBC has broken this rule and that, of course, is what the fuss is all about.

This is what the Ethiopian people have known for years. It is not just Band Aid money that has been used for arms, other forms of aid from different organisations has gone to sustain the rebels and corruption.

2. A View

Ethiopia has received more food aid than any other African country in the past 10-20 years, but yet its agricultural production has declined in the past 10 years, this is a direct result of reliance and dependency on aid and improper use of aid by the TPLF. Maybe other solutions should be looked at (e.g. Dambisa Moyo- ‘Dead Aid’)

I would like to thank the BBC for exposing such a despicable act by the former rebels. I believe it is a true story, it is in the nature of these rebel groups to commit such crime against humanity. The Ethiopian people know this truth for more than 20 years, the same kind of looting and embezzlement is going on today too. It is good that it has been brought to the attention of the the world people through this report.

Bob Geldof your aid money was given to the tyrant Meles Zenawi who killed many Ethiopians and continues to kill many Ethiopians its sad to see you supporting the tyrant Meles Zenawi I strongly believe its very wrong to support the tyrant Meles its time to clear your conscious, and support the people of Ethiopia,and I thank the BBC Marthin Plaut for such a great investigation, it is clear that BBC report was based on credible evidence of top TPLF exiled leaders. god will avenge the poor Ethiopians blood. I say Mr Geldof stop supporting the tyrant Meles Zenawi thanks BBC.

3. A View

But Geldof’s absence is also about pride. The Irish singer raised $100 million through Band Aid, a super-group of British pop stars that set the mold for charity records to come, and Live Aid, which did the same for worldwide charity concerts. The money was to help alleviate the devastating Ethiopian famine of 1984-5, in which more than a million people are thought to have died.

But Ethiopia, a nation of nearly 80 million people, now boasts consistent economic growth of 10%, and in that context the famine, and Geldof, are remembered with more than a tinge of humiliation. Two years ago, Geldof stirred the pot more when, in a television interview, he told Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi to “grow up” and “behave” when Ethiopian police shot dead 36 dead opposition protesters.

It was the cue for the release of long pent-up anger among Ethiopian patriots. Men such as Mulugeta Aserate Kassa. “People like me are still absolutely furious about what he said,” says Mulugeta over breakfast. “What right has he got to be so paternalistic as to tell African leaders how to behave? My God, if he wants to ever come back here, he’ll have to apologize.”

Mulugeta is a distinguished looking 56-year-old, with an exemplary Oxford English accent to match his pinstripe suit. He is also one of the organizers of the millennium celebrations. When he says of Geldof, “I don’t think we’ll be seeing him,” that’s more policy than wish.

Mulugeta says it’s not that he’s a stranger to suffering himself. He is a distant relation of the former emperor Haile Selassie, who ruled Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974 — with a five-year break from 1936 to 1941 when Italy occupied the country. When the Derg military regime deposed Selassie, Mulugeta’s father was executed and Mulugeta himself spent nine years in jail before being released to 20 years of exile in London.

But he is convinced the new millennium will restore Ethiopia and the day will soon arrive when Ethiopians no longer need outside assistance. “Nobody denies we have had famines and drought,” he says. “We have been through that. We feel it in our bones. But we have picked up the pieces. The third millennium will be a re-birth for Ethiopia.” And something to achieve without Bob.

4. A View

This is investigative journalism – the result of which makes a number of charities and Bob Geldof outraged. I have heard nothing by anyone properly describing how the charities ensured that money went to the correct places but a lot of shouting and gnashing of teeth from vested interests – me thinks they protest too much!

The BBC sources may be indeed be unreliable but to flatly deny that any corruption took place is laughable so in the interest of the truth these nay sayers need to engage with the BBC journalist and their sources and properly investigate in unison – not act like a lot of brainless yobs just shouting off.

As in all life those at the bottom of the heap are crushed further into the ground – be it black Africans or white British – there will always be someone at the top getting fat on their plight, be it exploitation of labour or diverting of aid. It is the sad fact of human existence.

5. A View

Your report on this particular issue is not only supported by the facts and figures on the ground but can also be witnessed by several millions of Ethiopians who are still alive. If BBC digs further they will uncover a lot of things such as the money that people gave at that time was also used to start companies affiliated to the TPLF party under the Endowment Fund of Tigray (EFFORT). http://www.effortgroup.org/index.htm One just wonders when their lies and cheating will end.

Kudos to the BBC for taking this allegation seriously and reporting on it. I hope the BBC will stay the course and do all the necessary follow ups to this story. Most Ethiopians feel this story is just a tip of the iceberg as far as TPLF’s shady finances are concerned and how it relates to food and development aid. Many commentators have already correctly pointed out about the need to look into the financial books of REST, and its successor EFFORT, to get to the bottom of this story.

6. A View

I think this story deserves full investigation not only by the BBC, but also by other news outlets, because it is very much relevant to what is happening to aid money in Ethiopia today. There are consistent and credible reports of aid money still being used to gain political support by the regime currently in power. This must be stopped. What better way to do that to take a serious look at what happened to aid money in the 80s and how the diversion of aid money transformed the TPLF into a formidable player which it was not prior to 1985?

7. A View

Wake up Sir Bob…”THIS IS AFRICA”…I worked for a charity in Uganda for 5 months in 1994. Everyone there, “ex pats” blacks, whites, knew the Ethiopian, “band aid” project was well intentioned but monies went missing, corruption was rife, seed corn for next years crops was eaten by the hungry (understandably)!!! many people involved in the project on the ground were well aware of the corruption and the diverting of monies AND the corruption was on a GLOBAL scale…your effort to save these poor people was one of noble intention…but maybe you were unaware what you were dealing with…..” THIS IS AFRICA”….(sadly not much has changed in the world to-day !!!!!!!!)

8. A View

I couldn’t understand the logic behind defending a voluntary confession made by the person who was one of the responsible persons to decide the fate of the donation delivered to his rebel commanding unit. Simply when someone admits that he made a mistake, no reasonable person would tell him that he didn’t make any mistake.

As per my knowledge, Sir Bob Geldof only delivered the money to those who were in charge (Sebehat Nega, and Meles Zenawi). Other than that I don’t know If he was able to witness the purchase and distribution of food to the concerned people in hunger. If he was not there, what made him certain to argue on behalf of a fair distribution of the donation?

The person whom he disgraced by saying “a man in exile in Holland” was the commander in chief of the rebels in that time. However, the way he described him shows that he knows who is who among the rebels.

He inquired evidence for the allegation, however he didn’t take time to realize that Doctor Aregawi Berhe is a living witness of the scenario as a person in charge of the army, and he confessed his involvement in the activity already.

9. A View

Unless and otherwise a person is involved in the activity of corruption with the rest of the thieves, he/ she won’t have a say on people’s confession, in my understanding.

Thank you BBC for reporting the truth. Wake up kind people of the world. Do not send money without asking,”who is using my money” Do not go by what you see on TV. Direct help is the only way in Ethiopia.

Ask where the coffee from Ethiopia you are drinking in Starbucks or any coffee shop coming from. “Fair Trade Certified” ??? Ask for the names of the owners of the farms. Fair trade organizations do not know the owners. This is the truth. They do not know if the owner has taken the farm by force or they are helping the real owner. Farms, businesses were confiscated by the gov. officials. There is no private ownership of farms.

The government of Ethiopia is in charge. Recently coffee was confiscated from exporters. Ask how can you call it Fair trade certified in a country where coffee is confiscated by government officials who are holding on to confiscated farms taken from refugees who live in Ethiopia and all over the world. Refugees were ignored by charity organization to report the truth. Their excuse “According to international law charity organization cannot get involved or say anything negative about Ethiopian government” Keep telling the kind people around the world the truth.

Sir Geldof only knows what he is told. Refugees thank him for what he tried to do. The way to help the poor has to change. Charity organization are not allowed to tell you the truth because of the “International Law” If they did they will be asked to leave as it has happened in the past.This is a fact. Thank BBC for making you question what is going on there.

10. A View

We Ethiopians have respect for Sir Bob Geldof, but after these allegations he still wants to defend his hero Meles. Sir Bob, I think you should listen to these allegations and trying to investigate and finally to prosecute the so called Ethiopian Government as you promised. The evidence you want is what BBC reported to you and those former rebel leaders, they are live witnesses, so what do you want anymore go on Sir, for the sake of Ethiopian people.

Because you collected the Aid money in the name of Ethiopian people, but it ended up to buy weapons to kill each other. Finally my country has got dictators who are still stealing not only the aid money, but also a peoples’ vote. Sir Bob don’t forget what happened in year 2005 in Ethiopia of course if you know about it. We still waiting for justice for this corruption and different genocide made by Meles and his group.

Please Sir be with Ethiopian people not with dictators. If you really this allegations made you angry and be available for further evidence and to start your own investigations now. Otherwise the future aid not only for Ethiopia but for other poor nations will be in jeopardy. The rest of charities also should start their own investigation instead of reacting angrily for the BBC report. Don’t rush the truth is bitter, but go to find it. Well done BBC and Matin Plaut.

11. A View

If there is one thing that people should be surprised about, it must be why it took a quarter of a century for the truth to be told publicly. Otherwise, particularly the deception of the TPLF is something that the Ethiopian public know them for. How REST (Relief Society of Tigray), which is a multi billion conglomerate today, was formed is not such a big secret to the Ethiopian public.

Then there is also what the CIA knew from the beginning and the American government supported it. The two former rebel commanders, who exposed this truth, mentioned this before in different interviews they gave in Amharic. Nothing is new about this. How did TPLF win the largest and well equipped army in sub-Saharan Africa then? Meles Zenawi, as many in the West, including Bob Geldof and Bono described him, is a very smart guy, actually much smarter than his admirers in the west can understand.

It is all obvious how he fool them in the name of democracy and makes them do exactly what he wants them to do when it comes to aid even at the present day. The then rebel leader who diverted the money to buy weapons is today’s prime minister of Ethiopia who is a close friend of Tony Blair and close ally of Gordon Brown.

He represents Africa in climate negotiations and is very often invited to G8 summits because he is an important ally in the war on terror in the Horn of Africa, though all he is doing is causing havoc in that part of Africa and terrorizing his own people. He is getting millions from the western donors.

12 A View

It is important and yet astonishing to listen to Bob Geldof every time he speaks about saving the hungry in Africa. Ethiopians are grateful to the donors and Geldof’s intention to help the poor. But, those of us who admire his passion and enthusiasm to help the poor, just wonder sometimes whether he is just a naive man who just listens to himself and throw tantrums when he hears things that do not fit his line of thinking.

BBC’s investigation about what happened 25 years ago in Ethiopia is just the tip of the iceberg. The Western governments’ stance, when it comes to former rebels (or leaders as they are now in Ethiopia and in many African countries), no matter how ruthless they are, they are either condemned (like Robert Mugabe) or supported as friendly dictators (Meles Zenawi) depending on the national interest of countries particularly that of US and the UK.

It is incomprehensible why many in the West think, given the size of aid money they pour in Ethiopia; Economic miracle is achieved by such dictators. Emergency food aid is important when the lives of millions in danger. Other economic and military aid should be tied to good governance. It has worked even in Africa. Look at the democracy that is flourishing in Ghana. The key to development is democracy.

http://debirhan.com/?p=725
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/sep/15/bob-geldof-scottish-voters-not-break-up-family

John (Wreck it and Run) Reid Warts & Plenty of Them

1. Opening Narrative

2. John Reid, Baron Reid of Cardowan former Labour MP for Airdrie & Shotts, former Home Secretary was made a life peer after the 2010 election. Following his stepping down as Home Secretary in 2007 he has worked in private sector security, including holding a position with G4S (until April 2013?).

3. In recent times he regularly Lobby’s fellow lords in the House of Lords and other movers and shakers in the corridors of power in Westminster seeking to use his influence, expanding counter intelligence and control over the UK citizenship mirroring the much detested, “Homeland Security” arrangements in place in the USA. He is committed to these, behind the scenes expensive measures through his employment with the, Chertoff Group, (founding member of the company and Ex Secretary, U.S. Department of Homeland Security (2005 – 2009)

4. Member of the House of Lords- Outside Interests

a. Director, John Reid Advisory Ltd. (risk management; homeland security strategy).
b. Member to the Chertoff Group (strategic/security consultants).
c. Westcoast Ltd, Crest Advisory. (support to police and crime commissioners).
d. Glaysen Holdings Ltd (financial holdings) paid to John Reid Advisory Ltd.
e. John Reid Advisory Ltd (All income from the Member’s speaking engagements).
f. Institute for Security and Resilience Studies, (Chairman), University College, London.

5. Remunerated employment, (2 years) office, profession etc. Earning £5000-£10,000 plus accommodation & expenses each occasion. Approximate earnings £100,000 plus

a. Speaking engagement, 24 May 2012 , R3 Annual Dinner, Belfast
b. Speaking engagement, 8 November 2012, OSAC Cyber Intelligence and Security Conference, London
c. Speaking engagement, 27 November 2012, Global Cyber Security Summit, Dublin
d. Speaking engagement, 10 December 2012, Gulf International Cyber security Symposium, Dubai
e. Speaking engagement, 23 January 2013, HP Leadership Conference, Blackpool
f. Speaking engagement, 7 March 2013, EU Science and Research Conference, Brussels
g. Speaking engagement, 16 May 2013, British American Business Council (BABC), Birmingham
h. Speaking engagement, Edinburgh, 24 June 2013, KPMG I-4 Conference
i. Speaking engagement, Brussels, 27 June 2013, SDA SecDef13 Conference
j. Speaking engagement, 1-2 November 2013, University of Texas, Austin, Political History Symposium
k. Speaking Engagement, 25 February 2014, Cyber Risk Insights Conference, Advisen, London
l. Speaking Engagement, 27 February 2014, The Energy Institute, Aberdeen
m. Speaking Engagement, 31 March 2014, International Conference on Security Challenges 2014, Abu Dhabi
6. John Reid’s addresses to the House of Lords

a. 12th January 2012, “I know the controversy that surrounded this, but it was precisely that third element that lay behind voluntary ID cards. That is because online registration is now prevalent for bank accounts and necessary to receive benefits. The amount of information that one supplies to the Government which is sitting there in huge data banks will be added to by any form of electoral registration, particularly if national insurance numbers are added.

b. That electronic information, just like paper information, is going to be lost or stolen. When and if it is lost or stolen, it is not an argument against biometrically protected ID cards. It is an argument for having biometric identification, because in those circumstances, no one can access that information. No one can go into your bank account unless they happen to have your five fingers and your iris. It is precisely about the protection of the individual.

c. Therefore, I would suggest that at least some serious consideration is given to online registration and the introduction in the medium to longer term of some form of identification that protects the individual’s identity through their iris and fingerprints.

d. I do not entirely agree with my good and noble friend Lord Maxton; I have never been in favour of compulsory ID cards. However, I am in favour of compulsory registration. I believe that the future is having an ID card in your pocket. I have one and it was massively convenient in allowing me to walk into France and Germany without a passport, giving inviolable proof of my identity to anyone, unlike every smart card in my pocket.”

e. “Going back to the cyber question, it is a big problem. Is the Minister aware that the best protection against misuse or fraud on cyber issues is biometric protection? With identification by your own iris or fingerprints, no one else can pretend to be you.”

f. 14th October 2012 “On cyber, I welcome the £0.5 billion increase provided that it does not include money that is meant to be allocated to the intercept modernization programme. If it does, it will be grossly inadequate and will completely undermine our capacity to mount the surveillance of communications in and out of this country which has been the basis of our counter – terrorist intelligence efforts.”

g. 15th May 2013 “As I reach my conclusion, there is one point where I would criticize the Government. Historically, our intelligence services and police have depended for counter-terrorism and anti-crime activity in defending the people of this country on the ability to match the technology of our enemies, particularly in communications.

This capability desperately needs updating. For the third year running, the Government have equivocated and postponed. Their fear of the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Clegg, appears to be greater than their fear of the consequences of not acting in updating our intelligence-gathering capacity to include Skype, the internet and texts.

h. God forbid that a terrorist attack should be launched that would have been prevented if we had updated it. God help the Government if that should happen because I know from experience just how dependent we were on that capacity to save the lives of 2,500 people only six years ago in the liquid bomb plot.”
i. 19 August 2006 On Terrorism. John Reid is to deliver a daily message of terror after his frequent broadcasts during the recent “liquid on planes” crisis received critical acclaim. DeadBrain has learned that Dr Reid, who was recently voted Britain’s scariest man in a joint Women’s Institute/TV Quick poll, will take to the airwaves every morning from a specially-constructed studio 21 metres below the Home Office. His fear-inducing message will be carried live by every major television channel and ITV.

http://www.deadbrain.co.uk/news/article_2006_08_19_0259.php

7. What Others Say about John Reid

a. The Godfather

John Reid is UK Home Secretary and MP for Airdrie and Shotts. “If we had a Politburo instead of a cabinet, Reid would probably be running the State Security Division.” – Kevin Toolis, Guardian 2 March 2002. Reid “is part of the Lanarkshire West Coast Labour mafia. It’s not about… making life better for the working class. It’s about looking after yourself and your mates and not being accountable to anyone.” – Dean Nelson, editor Scottish edition of the Sunday Times.
http://aangirfan.blogspot.co.uk/2006/05/john-reid-karadzic-lobbygate-nhs_07.html

b. John Reid The Persistent Sex Predator

He is a drunken sex predator. the second incident, shortly before the death of then Labour leader John Smith in 1994, when Mr Reid was Shadow Defence Secretary, was witnessed by several people. One said: “John came lurching up and said to Dawn, “I want to have sex with you, I want to f*** you, you want it as well.” Ms Primarolo’s friend and neighboring Bristol Labour MP Jean Corston intervened and, according to a source, told Mr Reid: “You are a disgusting creature. Get away from her,” adding, “That’s it, I’m going to report him.” Ms Corston, who is now a Baroness, told colleagues she raised the matter with John Smith, commenting, “It won’t be happening again.” One Labour insider said: “Dawn was on the verge of tears. She said Reid had been harassing her over a period of years and had propositioned her in the bar. It was very painful for her.” When Mr Reid was summoned by the Labour leader, he gave Mr Smith a sealed envelope containing his resignation and told him that if he misbehaved again, Mr Smith should open it.
http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/news/article-454473/The-day-leadership-rival-John-Reid-propositioned-young-Brown-ally-Dawn-Primarolo–drank-again.html
http://iaindale.blogspot.co.uk/2007/05/dirty-past-of-dr-john-reid.html

c. John Reid Accuses Yes Campaign of Sex harassment

The Nationalists are running an offensive misogynistic campaign against female unionists such as J K Rowling, John Reid, the former Defence Secretary, accused the Yes side of employing the, “language of abuse” at women who speak up for the maintenance of the 300-year Union. Former Defence Secretary John Reid accused nationalists of using the, “language of abuse” to target women who came out against independence. Now this is rich coming from him
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2756558/Nationalists-running-misogynistic-campaign-John-Reid-accuses-Yes-supporters-deliberately-targeting-female-unionists-JK-Rowling-abuse.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490
http://dailymail.org.uk/news/2198316/John-Reid-accuses-Yes-vote-supporters-of-targeting-female-unionists-such-as-JK-Rowling-for-abuse.html

d. John Reid – The cloven hoof pops out.

The Home Secretary yesterday gave the think tank Demos his strongest hint yet that a new round of anti-terror legislation is on the way this autumn by warning that traditional civil liberty arguments were not so much wrong as just made for another age.
http://liberalengland.blogspot.co.uk/2006/08/john-reid-cloven-hoof-pops-out_10.html

e. Home Secretary John (wreck it and run)

Reid is to visit the team hunting foreign criminals released without being considered for deportation. He will visit the nerve centre tackling the crisis which led to the sacking of his predecessor Charles Clarke. Less than two weeks ago, Mr Clarke revealed that 1,023 foreign prisoners had been freed without deportation action being considered between 1999 and March this year.
http://news.sky.com/story/427068/reid-pep-talk-for-deportation-squad

f. John Reid Censured by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards

While he was Secretary of State for Scotland, John Reid became the first senior cabinet member ever to be severely censured by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, Elizabeth Filkin. Reid was accused of using parliamentary allowances, taxpayer’s money, to pay the salaries of his son and other staff working for Labour’s electoral campaign. In the course of the inquiry, it emerged that Reid had held, “discussions” with witnesses, “which in plain un-parliamentary language sounded a lot like threats”.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Northern_Ireland/Story/0,2763,659705,00.html

g. John Reid and the Medical Consultant’s Excessive Salary Increases

When he was Health Secretary, John Reid was responsible for the new national consultants’ contract. The cost of the new pay deal is said to be the cause of the large deficits now being run up by health boards.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2090-2168976_2,00.html

h. Lobbygate

Kevin (my father is John Reid) Reid, boasted of his contacts, “I worked for Jack [McConnell] and for Wendy [Alexander—minister for communities] and for Henry [McCleish—Enterprise Minister] and for Donald [Dewar—First Minister] on a one-to-one basis. I worked with the Labour Party media monitoring in the press team and I briefed them every night.”
http://www.wsws.org/articles/1999/oct1999/scot-o06.shtml

i. John Reid & War Criminal Karadic

During the 1990s Bosnian War, John Reid became friends with Serb rebel leader and indicted war-criminal Radovan Karadzic. Reid has admitted that he spent three days at a luxury Geneva lakeside hotel as a guest of Karadzic in 1993.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Northern_Ireland/Story/0,2763,659705,00.html

j. Other media Information about John Reid

John Reid exploits death of soldier-Security Salesman-Blatant sales pitches to the House of Lords
https://www.opendemocracy.net/ourkingdom/clare-sambrook/woolwich-lord-reid-security-industrys-salesman

John Reid Pushes Cell Phone Security

John Reid Attacks Alex Salmond

John Reid Abuses Iraqis the Dtinks Camels Piss

John Reid War Criminal

John Reid Phonecall Satire

Say no to John Reid

John Reid Corrupt Politician

John Reid Blames Immigration on Gordon Brown

Lord Dannat Speaks Out and Gets a Reply

1. Opening Statement

a. General Dannatt was a controversial Army leader who was rarely off the television screens of the nation at the time of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. He was criticized by the press for the failure of the British troops to take their main objective, Basra in the Iraq invasion and again at the start of the Afghanistan war due to the very high casualty rates suffered by the army.

b. His pattern of behavior, leaking information about helicopter shortages etc (however justified) revealed that he saw himself as more of a politician than a soldier. The fact he didn’t resign and then go public says more about his moral, “courage”. Servicemen can only have authority with the public and the politicians so long as they are willing and trusted to criticize in private and are seen as above politics.
2. The New Scottish Defence Force (Lord Dannatts view)

a. I studied the, Scottish government’s, “White Paper” on Scottish defence requirements and formed the view that the future defence of Scotland seemed to be the weakest link. A fundamental requirement of government is to provide fully for the security and defence of the state and its citizens. However, when the SNP says it can do that for between £2 billion and £2.5 billion a year, it reveals that it has little or no understanding of the real costs of defence. The costs of the commitments that the SNP has made about the size of a future Scottish defence force and inheriting, “Scotland’s share” of current UK defence assets just do not add up.

b. Manning all current Scottish regiments and “restoring” former Scottish regiments, as pledged earlier in the campaign, plus providing appropriate combat support units and some Special Forces, would take up the majority of the 15,000 Scottish defence force posts budgeted for by Alex Salmond on her future army alone. What about an independent Scotland’s navy or air force? And what about command and control, intelligence, countering terrorist and cyber threats, let alone protecting Scotland’s 11,000 miles of coastline and her airspace?

c. Scotland’s “share” of current assets – argued by the SNP to be a “fair” allocation of the UK’s current defence assets would give her: five Chinook helicopters, 10 Typhoon jets, two Hercules C-130 transports, just over one-and-a-half destroyers or frigates, half an Astute submarine, one-sixth of an aircraft carrier, and just under one Red Arrow! What nonsense. These capabilities make sense only within an integrated UK.

d. Furthermore, the SNP’s pledge to remove the UK nuclear-deterrent submarines from their Clyde base by 2020 puts Scotland outside the nuclear-deterrent umbrella. Does that matter? I don’t know, but equally – and far more importantly – I do not know how the future is going to unfold, and nor does Mr Salmond. He is wanting to take the Scottish people on a gambling trip – why? Is it pride, or is it prejudice? Neither motive makes much sense in defence and security terms. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/scottish-independence/11093425/Scottish-referendum-Scottish-soldiers-have-died-to-keep-the-UK-together.html
3. The New Scottish Defence Force (My Reply)

a. Lord Dannatt’s approach to the task of creating a new Scottish Defence Force (SDF) is influenced heavily by his own torturous experiences in the UK Armed forces. Although always provided with a very generous financial budget the UK armed forces has always been hopelessly over committed financially due to a perpetual insidious inter-service rivalry and a long history of incompetent acquisition, which routinely ended up in massive overspending and/or stockpiling of useless equipment, clothing, footwear, weapons ammunition, vehicles etc on a truly enormous scale.

b. The final make up and financing of the (SDF) is yet to be finalized but there would be a unified single command structure ensuring elimination of the wasteful practices of the UK armed forces. Detailed planning could only reasonably begin AFTER the outcome of the referendum is known and competent senior military personnel are in place. But £2Billion of the £20Billion, set aside for the purchase of the much mooted replacement Trident System would be transferred to Scotland, together with 10% of the overall defence budget. Clearly it would be in the best interests of Scotland and UKr if the initial transfer of finance would be in kind not money, (perhaps being set against the initial agreed budgetary transfer.

4. The Emotional Argument (Lord Dannatt)

a. And what about the Scottish people serving in the UK Armed Forces today? Those currently serving joined a fully professional set of UK Armed Forces committed to the defence of the entire United Kingdom and its wider interests. They swore a personal allegiance to the Queen, and not to any government of any political party or any particular part of the United Kingdom. There is no doubt that as professional military people, Scotland’s soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines are far better off within our current UK Armed Forces. Do the Scottish members of those highly professional Armed Forces really want now to be part of a local home defence force, outside Nato and the EU, along the lines of Denmark and Norway?

b. Between 1969 and 2007, Scottish soldiers fought and died to keep Northern Ireland within the overall United Kingdom. The IRA fought a 38-year campaign to take Northern Ireland out of the United Kingdom and join the six northern counties of the island of Ireland to the Republic in the South of Ireland as one sovereign state. Do the families of Scottish soldiers who lost their lives between 1969 and 2007 to preserve the territorial integrity of the United Kingdom now just say, “Well, it no longer matters”? I cannot speak for them, but I wonder just how much thought, appreciation and recognition is given to the memory of those who have fought and brought this United Kingdom of ours to where it is today, and where it could be in the future.

c. Scottish soldiers have fought over several centuries and in so many campaigns to preserve the territorial integrity of their country from external threat, but in the Northern Ireland campaign more recently, they fought against internal threat, but what about today? I worry particularly about the extent that we will be letting them down if Scotland disappears from our country, just on the whim of a few thousand voters willing to gamble on an uncertain future rather than staying within the United Kingdom, whose track record is second to none in Europe. The United Kingdom is what it is today because of the common commitment of the English, the Welsh, the Scots and the Northern Irish – is it really right that a few thousand Scots should change the destiny of us all? And in the context of the Scottish soldiers who died to preserve the Union in the face of an armed challenge in Northern Ireland, is there not a democratic opportunity now to preserve the country we love in a better way? Just five million Scots resident in Scotland – or about 50 per cent of them – seem to want to redefine the identity of more than 60 million of the rest of us, and that of another couple of million Scots living outside Scotland who, like the rest of us, have no vote in this history-changing decision. Do they really have the moral right to do so?
5. The Emotional Argument (My Reply)

a. Any member of the existing UK armed forces would be allowed to elect to remain with the UKr armed forces. But all aspects and title of Regiments/units identified with Scotland would transfer to the newly formed (SDF). Recruitment and training off any shortfall in numbers would be achieved over time without undue difficulty since there are many thousands of ex-forces now looking for jobs due to the massive early redundancy programme, visited upon these loyal armed forces by the Con/Dem government. Scotland will join NATO at the outset and play a full part in the defence of the alliance, including, (as is the case for just about all other members) a nuclear shelter provided by the USA.

b. Raising the past troubles of Northern Ireland is jingoism and has no place in any discussion regarding the Scottish referendum on independence the rules of which have been discussed at length and agreed between Westminster and Holyrood. History will judge events and sometime in the future praise or dam the actions of UK governments in the period 1969-2005. The armed forces, being instruments of politicians and Westminster will be exempt from the foregoing.

c. In terms of other conflicts that Scottish forces have been drawn into by Westminster politicians I have attached references so that my views on the past are clear. In 1707 England stole a nation and hijacked the youth of Scotland to fight England’s wars of expansion.

https://caltonjock.com/2014/08/29/armed-forces-day-jingoism/
https://caltonjock.com/2014/08/28/afghanistan-the-labour-party/
https://caltonjock.com/2014/09/01/the-great-war-1914-18/
https://caltonjock.com/2014/09/14/1914-1918-world-war-disaster-role-of-the-generals/

A Heap of references for study so that a full picture of Lord Dannatt can be gathered.

For Queen and Country-But What Country?

1. Lord Dannat & David Cameron

a. General, (now Lord) Dannatt was Chief of the General Staff from 2006 to 2009. In this period he had military responsiblity for the conduct of major army operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. His resume reminds the reader that as a young officer, at the start of his military career, from 1971, he served, with distinction, a number of tours, with the Green Howards, in Northern Ireland. His Regiment sustained heavy casualties whilst on operational duty in Belfast. He was required to stand down from his post in 2009 and took up an advisory position with David Cameron as Defense Advisor to the Tory party. Cameron rewarded his assistance by gaining him a Knighthood, denied him by Gordon Brown. He stood down from his advisory position on defense at the time the Tory’s were elected in 2010. He now sits, as a cross bench member in the House of Lords.

b. I fully expected Cameron to play the military broken hearts, sympathy card attempting the emotional blackmail of Scot’s seeking add guilt to anyone voting Yes to independence. I was not wrong. In a headline article published in the, “Telegraph” 13 September 2014 Lord Dannat, (friend of David Cameron) made an impassioned appeal to Scots to reject independence, in the name of their countrymen who “fought and died” to keep the United Kingdom safe. In seeking to add substance to his article he reminded families, relatives, friends and colleagues of brutal murder of three young Scot’s soldiers in Belfast in 1971. Whilst the intent of his approach is evident his desire to raise hurtful memories is crass.

c. What Lord Dannat fails to mention is that one of the, “honey Trap” girls that lured the soldiers to their deaths might well be a well connected and greatly respected Tory Party Councillor. Strange bedfellows indeed.
Lord Dannat’s press articles
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/scottish-independence/11093425/Scottish-referendum-Scottish-soldiers-have-died-to-keep-the-UK-together.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/scottish-independence/11094769/Scottish-independence-Our-soldiers-lost-their-lives-trying-to-preserve-the-UK.-What-will-their-families-say.html

IRA Councillor welcomed back to Tory bosom. In a dramatic u-turn, Maria Gatland has been accepted back into the Conservatives.
http://www.croydonguardian.co.uk/news/4045346.IRA_Councillor_welcomed_back_to_Tory_bosom/

2. The 1971 Belfast Murders Explained

a. March 1971 Belfast. Three young soldiers from the Royal Highland Fusiliers (RHF), (stationed at Girdwood Barracks, Belfast), Dougald McCaughey (23) and two brothers, John and Joseph McCaig, aged (17) and (180 years respectively, were having a drink in at Mooneys bar in the centre of Belfast. In those days. despite some localised rioting, off duty soldiers could still come and go as they wished in the bars, clubs and discos of Belfast. Out of uniform, off duty and well intoxicated, they were not thought to be targets. In a previous bar, two young woman had attached themselves to the soldiers, (the women were members of PIRA’s women’s group, the Cumman – na – mBan, one unconfirmed was rumoured to be Maria McGuire). After a few more drinks the party was approached by a young man and a male friend. After a drink or two it was suggested that they should go off to a party. What the three young Scottish soldiers did not know was that the friendly former soldier was the leader of an IRA group from Ardoyne. Well plied with drink, McCaughey and the McCaig brothers were driven to a lonely mountain road outside Belfast where they stopped to relieve themselves. As they did so they were shot through the back of the head and their bodies left by the roadside.

b. The horrific killings, the cowardly manner in which they were carried out, sent shock waves through the province and the rest of the UK. Both the Official and Provisional IRA issued statements maintaining that none of their units were involved. The Provo’s statement was carefully worded since, although the killings were carried out by members of the IRA, those responsible had not been authorized to do so. It is known that Billy McGee, by then commander of the Provo’s in Belfast had not given the go ahead for the operation. He regarded it as unsoldierly and contrary to the principles of Republicanism.

c. The former British Army soldier who had enticed the three young men to their deaths came from Ardoyne. At the time he was serving in Cyprus he applied to join the SAS, but was deemed to be mentally unsuitable. On his return to the UK he left the army disillusioned. The Special Branch knew him to be a psychopath who, (whilst deployed to anti terrorist duties in Cyprus had executed a civilian in controversial circumstances). The Ardoyne IRA knew he had had served with the British Army but were not aware of his controversial history. Special Branch officers were not at all surprised he was prepared to kill, it was his way of getting back at the British Army.

d. The entire Nationalist community, were deeply ashamed that such barbarity had been conducted in it’s name. The vast majority were not prepared for a campaign against the British Army, RUC and the political system but this proved to be the turning point. Had the government introduced internment at this time it is entirely possible the troubles would have been avoided.

e. The Winds of Change. Although not formally stationed in Belfast in a policing capacity the death of the youngest soldier at age 17, (by only 1 week) was unacceptable to the UK public and rules were changed immediately after instructing that soldiers could not be deployed to active service before age 18.

3. Maria McGuire, (Maria Gatland) Tory Councillor in Croydon, London for the last 20 years, Her life with the IRA in her own words.

a.In September 1971 Maria McGuire was one of the most wanted terrorists in the world. Armed with a .38 automatic weapon and carrying £20,000 in cash, she was being pursued by security forces from several countries over her role in a huge arms deal. More than 160 crates containing bazookas, rocket launchers and hand-grenades had been seized at an airport in Amsterdam, and a warrant had been issued for her arrest. McGuire found herself on the run with a member of the Provisional IRA’s ruling council – with whom she was having an affair. In Ireland, plans were afoot to kidnap the Dutch ambassador if she and David O’Connell were arrested. But despite a massive media frenzy, she and O’Connell were able to escape the Netherlands through Belgium and France before returning to Ireland to a hero’s welcome.

b. Even though their mission had failed, the pair became – for a brief period – the golden couple of the Irish Republican movement. In her book To Take Arms: My Year With The IRA Provisional’s, published in 1973, McGuire wrote candidly: “The press had made great play of the fact that we had escaped the British secret service; we had achieved another glorious failure. “It was better even than if we had been successful, because then the public would have had to confront reality. “Why did we want the guns? To kill people.” She learnt two months later that she faced three years in prison if she re-entered Switzerland, where she had exchanged currency.

c. In the space of just one year, McGuire became a close confidante of many of the Provisional IRA’s top leaders, before disillusionment set in over the group’s methods. She had signed up after seeing the Provisional’s publicity officer, Sean O Bradaigh, on Irish television. So keen was McGuire to talk to him that she rang the TV studio straight away and left a message. Within weeks she was put forward to the British press as an example of the new middle-class membership the movement was attracting.

d. But as violence escalated in Belfast following a failed ceasefire in July 1972, McGuire decided she could not support the sectarian killing, and fled to England. There she gave extensive interviews in the British press and published her book hoping to lift the lid on IRA brutality. Her defection prompted the Provisional IRA’s chief of staff, Sean MacStiofain – who she described as “narrow minded” – to warn that if she ever returned to Ireland she would face a court martial and possibly execution.

e. Her book – which caused a storm on its publication – revealed her thoughts on one of the most intensive bombing campaigns ever carried out. Following an IRA bomb in Donegall Street, Belfast, which killed six men and injured 146 in March 1972, she wrote: “I admit that at the time I did not connect with the people who were killed or injured in such explosions. “I always judged such deaths in terms of the effect they would have on our support – and I felt that this in turn depended on how many people accepted our explanation.”

f. Maria McGuire on her affair with Provisional IRA ruling council member David O’Connell, which started in Amsterdam. “It just happened, and seemed perfectly natural, even though our situation was very unnatural. We were under considerable stress together, and became very close, depended on one another, because of that. Possibly it meant more to Dave than it did to me; but when we managed not to worry about the outcome of our mission and our own chances of escaping, we were very happy.”

g. Maria McGuire on meeting the Provisional IRA chief of staff, Sean MacStiofain. “He seemed short and squat, and lacked Dave’s physical presence: only later did I realise he was in fact over six feet tall. He appeared a little taken aback by me too; I knew he had heard about me, but possibly he wasn’t expecting someone wearing hot pants to be interested in the Provisional IRA.”

h. Maria McGuire on the IRA’s bombing campaign in Northern Ireland. “The intention behind the bombing campaign was to cause confusion and terror. In 1971 bomb explosions averaged three a day throughout the six counties, and it was very easy to create confusion in the centre of Belfast. Sometimes the Belfast Provisional’s would give a succession of false alarms, and then just as the city was enjoying the lull, plant half a dozen bombs on the same day. We believed that the bombing campaign had a greater psychological effect in this way. By causing such terror we demonstrated that whatever steps the army took, the Provisional’s could continue the military campaign; half a million people in Belfast would be kept wondering where the Provisional’s would strike next, and would be forced to tell the British to make peace with us.”

i. Maria McGuire on killing British soldiers. “I agreed with the shooting of British soldiers and believed that the more who were killed the better. I remember occasions where we heard late at night that a British soldier had been shot and seriously wounded in Belfast or Derry – and we would hope that by the morning he would be dead.”

j. Maria McGuire on killing civilians. “I accepted too the bombing of Belfast, and when civilians were accidentally blown to pieces dismissed this as one of the unfortunate hazards of urban guerrilla war.”

k. Maria McGuire on being banned from entering Switzerland. “I happened to hear a television news item that two Irish citizens had been excluded from Switzerland – Dave O’Connell and myself. We had done nothing illegal in Switzerland that I could recall. Then the Swiss Embassy in Dublin telephoned Dave and asked us to call at the embassy to collect our exclusion orders. We naturally refused.”

l. Maria McGuire on becoming disillusioned in the face of escalating violence. “I could not avoid the conclusion that the probability of civilian casualties had been accepted, and perhaps even planned. Whenever such casualties had occurred before, there had always been the pressure of events to take my mind off them. But now, almost for the first time, I wondered about the crippled and the widowed and the lives that had been changed forever.”

http://www.croydonadvertiser.co.uk/Revealed-Maria-Gatland-s-life-IRA-words/story-11363460-detail/story.html

I agreed with the shooting of British soldiers and believed that the more who were killed the better.
http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/news/article-1091364/The-truth-Tory-council-education-chief-used-IRA-moll.html

How I brought the Provisional IRA girl with a gun in from the cold. Last week a Tory local Councillor was revealed as Maria McGuire, a former IRA activist
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2008/dec/07/ira-northern-ireland-conservatives

Was it fair Gatland had to resign because of her past IRA links?
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/was-it-fair-gatland-had-to-resign-because-of-her-past-ira-links-28461624.html

Croham, a Ward in the London Borough of Croydon, elects Maria Garland as a Councillor 2006, 2010 & 2014.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croham_%28ward%29

Liar Liar – Not the Movie Just John Reid, (the baron)

Baron John Reid, man of principle or Just a wee liar, history judges him to be the latter- his legacy to his constituents is, “see you suckers”. I witnessed his speech and noted the bulk of those in attendance were from places other than that which he claimed to represent. Most were not even from Glasgow or the West of Scotland. Talk about rent an audience. This was it in spades.

John Reid, (Sorry Baron Reid, he took the ermin) represented for many a year an area of Glasgow which suffered the worst social deprivation, lowest life expectancy and highest infant mortality in the developed world, not a lot was done in his time in office or since, (under the stewardship of his successor) to improve matters.

Set against these damming facts is that the Labour Party and John Reid knew full well, (for the last 40 year’s) that Scotland had massive oil and gas wealth and that the Scottish people were being conned and lied too for decades.

I wondered at his behaviour and the justification of it then remembered the Labour party creed allows the sacrifice of the electorate for perceived good of the bigger picture of the Labour Party and it’s manifesto.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/scottish-independence/11094182/Scottish-independence-the-English-are-not-our-enemies-says-ex-Labour-home-secretary-Lord-Reid.html

Summary of Events That Happened on Saturday 13 September

Just another march Saturday 13 September 2014

Perth Saturday 13 September 2014 – Caledonia

Rory’s Cairn on the border 13 September 2014

Edinburgh Castle Saturday 13 September 2014

Inverness Saturday 13 September 2014

Dunfermline Saturday 13 September 2014

Glasgow Saturday 13 September 2014

Compare and contrast the Yes (above) and No (below) stalls in Govan today!! http://t.co/WKHbt6Y0e4—
Jennifer Dunsmore (@jdunsmore1992) September 13, 2014

Complaint about Nick Robinson and BBC Reply
https://www.change.org/p/the-bbc-immediately-suspend-nick-robinson-pending-investigation-for-breach-of-bbc-trust-charter-article-44/u/8142695?tk=XBgdyHPI9l5HP2pXV07l0eGriTMAf8Kame2pTg5j5ow&utm_source=petition_update&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=petition_update_email
https://www.change.org/p/the-bbc-immediately-suspend-nick-robinson-pending-investigation-for-breach-of-bbc-trust-charter-article-44/u/8142695?tk=XBgdyHPI9l5HP2pXV07l0eGriTMAf8Kame2pTg5j5ow&utm_source=petition_update&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=petition_update_email

Imperial Master MP’s flying visit to Glasgow -(cost to taxpayer £40,000)

Bonnie Greer gives her view on impartiality of Independence reporting. Brilliant defense of Yes campaign getting screwed by a biased press.

Top American Press Baron supports an Independent Scotland
http://www.forbes.com/sites/brettarends/2014/09/12/would-scottish-independence-destroy-britain/

Retailers backlash – Asda Under the Cosh as Consumers hit back
http://www.thedrum.com/news/2014/09/13/asda-faces-social-media-boycott-backlash-after-declaring-independent-scotland-retail

BBC Media Coverage Wrong and Biased
http://www.thedrum.com/news/2014/09/12/balance-failure-bbc-scottish-independence-referendum-coverage-wrong-and-not

Academic Bullied by BBC
http://www.thedrum.com/opinion/2014/06/30/i-was-bullied-bbc-over-academic-report-indyref-bias-scottish-media-blackout-must

BBC presentations lead news website to question impartiality of BBC presenters around Scottish Independence
http://www.thedrum.com/news/2012/04/16/leaked-bbc-presetations-lead-news-website-question-impartiality-bbc-presenters

What I wrote in September 2014 – Scottish Parliament to be Emasculated – Vote “No” and Powers Will Be Returned to Westminster Post Brexit – And Another Independence Referendum Ruled Out.

this in autumn, this will be a significant change for the Scottish parliament because devolution to Scotland and other parts of the UK was predicated on membership of the EU, we won't be the EU and therefore that will bring change with it." David Mundell, 18 Jan 2017'

Heed the Words of William Hague and Craig Murray

Prior to the 1997 referendum William Hague said the official position of a UK government was to retain a right to reverse any or all aspects of power that might be devolved to a Scottish parliament.

The “no” vote in the referendum sent a resounding message to Westminster that Scotland wished to embrace all of the, “National” aspects of UK government policy.

This will contribute to a creeping reverse of, “devolution” where any powers prove to be at odds with the wishes of the Westminster government.

https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2017/03/theresa-may-moves-replace-devolution-westminster-control/

Powers There will be no more Powers

So much for Gordon Brown and his new set of devolved powers, details of which only Gordon knows.

What we do know is that there is absolutely no chance of anything more being devolved.

The reverse is the future if Scotland votes no.

A Scotland capable of challenging the Status Quo will not be allowed to remain a threat.

Scotland will be neutered, powers removed and other methods of control introduced.

The last time Scotland stood up and said, “I want to be free” Thatcher moved in and removed Scotland’s perceived power; Coal, Steel, Ship Building, Car Production, any manufacturing company employing more than 500 staff e.g. Caterpiller production at Uddingston.

Anything and everything that exuded power was removed from Scotland and transferred to England.

Scotland was well and truly sorted.

Thatcher did what Westminster excels at subjugation.

So, here we are again; echoing a well loved figure from the past Robert Bruce who said to the Scot’s at Bannockburn, “Do you want to be free to decide your own future and that of your children, OR are you content to remain subjects of a political system that is corrupt and bloated with money stripped from your purses, leaving you at the mercy of, “Wonga” money lenders and wholly reliant on food banks to feed your children and yourselves”?

Remember this. Devolution was not given freely to Scotland in 1997. Westminster was instructed to decentralize government as a condition of membership of the EU.

Even then it took Westminster MP’s, (including those Scotland sent to London to fight their corner) 20 years to comply with the European Commission.

They fought tooth and nail to protect what they believed was theirs.

Even then devolution was designed, organized and implemented in such a way as to ensure, through a hybrid, “hotch potch” electoral voting system of proportional representation that the Scottish National Party would never be able to have an overall majority in the new Scottish parliament.

So Westminster cooked the books, yet again so as to ensure continued dominance over Scotland. Thatchers Legacy lived on.

But the civil servant’s and their masters got their figures wrong, (seems to be a bad habit picked up and absorbed by Westminster).

The Scottish National Party turned devolution on it’s ugly head and here we are again.

This time I urge Scot’s not to believe anything Westminster politicians say in defence of retaining the status quo.

They will lie, threaten and in any other way seek to cajole our nation. Love bombing, hate bombing, promises, promises, everything the Westminster elite has in it’s formidable armoury will be used against Scotland all with the single purpose of continued subjugation.

If Scotland blinks next week and succumbing to the subterfuge elects to stay with the Union then shades of Thatcher you ain’t seen nuthin’ yet.

Over time, any remaining asset of any economic strength e.g. banking will be removed from Scotland.

Delegated powers will be stripped away and taken back to Westminster e.g. Health, Energy policy, Planning, Welfare.

Holyrood will become a wee talking shop filled with a bunch of nobody’s.

Scotland has a choice a, “Yes” vote will transfer power back to the Scot’s, (not just to Scotland).

We will then be enabled as is our right as a nation, once more to decide for ourselves the nature, policies and governance we wish to be in place.

“Welcome to your gory bed or to victory”

Corporates Give Warning. Our Profits Will be Maintained

UK lax tax laws provide a myriad of loopholes which are widely used for tax avoidance and the Treasury is losing many £ billions of tax revenues each and every year.

Five of the UK’ largest banks use tax havens, namely Barclays, Lloyds, TSB, HSBC, and the Royal Bank of Scotland.

Just about all of the larger retailers, (supermarkets) and food manufacturers compete for places in the top 10 tax haven users A survey of the UK’s largest 100 public companies revealed that there are over 8,000 linking offshoots involved in business activities, (onshore and offshore) all registered in tax havens. Only 2 out of the 100 public companies had no offshoots registered in tax havens.

George Osborne, in a recent speech brought the issue to the attention of the UK public stating the matter needed to be resolved. The task of closing the loopholes and recovering tax due is proving to be just about impossible since the bulk of the offshoot companies were registered in UK Crown dependencies such as, Bermuda, Gibraltar and Jersey.

Recent Scare stories broadcast by Asda, John Lewis, B&Q, Tesco, Virgin, Timpsons and many of the other large retailers providing goods & services to Scotland should be considered against the fact that just about all of them and their management teams pay little or no tax to the UK Treasury.

So a load of tax dodgers, briefed, instructed and to be rewarded by David Cameron, (over 100 lords created in 3 years) fully utilizing a Westminster compliant and corrupt BBC, press and other media outlets spread rumor an innuendo about unspecified price increases just before the referendum .

Cameron and Osborne and the rest of the political elite at Westminster should be ashamed allowing Trillions of tax to be dodged by billionaire owners and their management teams whilst harassing Scot’s earning a pittance for every penny they are able to screw them for.

Not any more I fully expect Scot’s will exact their right next week and vote, “Yes” in the referendum so that our nation can once more stand proud amongst all the other countries of the world

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: