[brraverishhh]

Mr Salmond does not have the mandate he would have you believe that he has .

Over half the Scottish electorate did NOT vote.
This means his party is actually only endorsed by just over a fifth of the population
and not all of them are that enthuiastic about independence.

[Slonopotam845]

Maybe they can annex themselves to Libya. What with their support of him.

[doctorzlo]

Our Scottish brethren have a huge fight on their hands. Suprisingly though several SNP voters were interviewed by the BBC after the elections and none of them said that they backed an independent Scotland but how long thats going to last is anyones guess.

The SNP has been investing heavily in high tech USA voter tracking technology whereby they know from their smartphones how every person in any given street voted or didnt vote last time and who voted SNP. (So much for secret ballots)

Armed with this info they can turn up in say the outer Hebredies and know exactly which doors to knock on with a tailored message that they know that voter wants to hear.

Its a very slick system and has paid huge dividends for them. The Labour and Conservatives havn't a chance as they still rely on the old fashioned methods.

[Ifroham4]

I am sure the Scottish who want independence would be the first ones to ask Israel why we can't just become a bi-national state and get it over with. [rolls eyes]

[tgs]

From news article:"Being a big country is not a question of size and scale, but of the size of your ideas, the scale of your contribution to humanity," (Alex Salmond) said.

[Fegasderty]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43077321...d_news-europe/

And their justification is:
From news article:
"Being a big country is not a question of size and scale, but of the size of your ideas, the scale of your contribution to humanity," (Alex Salmond) said.

[MannoFr]

Despite the victory of the SNP:

Polls currently suggest only a third of Scots back independence, but the unionist campaign is in disarray and the nationalists boast a leader who even his opponents admit is a highly skilled political operator. I hope the other parties get their acts together.

[radikal]

And we care because....?

[softy54534]

Scotland has a long history of independence. If and when the voters there want to break away from the UK, is their business -- and that of the English, of course, if they want to contest the matter. By the same token, what Israel does is Israel's business, and nobody else's.

[PhillipHer]

And we care because....?

Bad as they can be at times, Great Britain is one of the few countries in the world that ever backs Israel. Most countries oppose us 100% of the time. Also, they helped kick Saddam Hussein out of Iraq and are fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan and Gaddafi in Libya.

So, despite Catherine Ashton, Ken Livingston, George Galloway, Elvis Costello, the British Labour Unions and Academics, the British Press and the SNP, I do care what happens to Great Britain even if you don't.

[Peptobismol]

It all might be well and true, but the loss of Scotland is not going to change anything major. After all, what is Scotland? 3-4 million people, reasonable geostrategic significance, Sean Connery, Billy Connolly and a couple of single malt brands - it all ain't gonna disappear. Scotland has been living its separate life anyway and as far as Israel and the Jews are concerned has never been one of their prime supporters.
They are great guys, the Scots, at least the ones that I know, but staying with England or going their own way - can't possibly see much difference.

[LottiFurmann]

I would like to see any counties north of Derbyshire go with the Scots, given the opportunity. Most of us northerners have more of an affinity to the Scottish than to the bowler hatters down south.

[Lillie_Steins]

It all might be well and true, but the loss of Scotland is not going to change anything major. After all, what is Scotland? 3-4 million people, reasonable geostrategic significance, Sean Connery, Billy Connolly and a couple of single malt brands - it all ain't gonna disappear. Scotland has been living its separate life anyway and as far as Israel and the Jews are concerned has never been one of their prime supporters.
They are great guys, the Scots, at least the ones that I know, but staying with England or going their own way - can't possibly see much difference.

Not much of a difference as far as Israel is concerned, I agree. Possibly another anti-Israeli member at the UN, no big deal.

As far as the UK is concerned, that's a loss of $130bn in GDP, which is pretty significant.

[Lt_Apple]

I do not think that autonomy for Scotland will affect the outside world much. Even if independent, they will always be tied to England in one way or another.