On nationalism

Humphrey Passmore and Gordon Wilson write in praise of William Loneskie, whose letter claimed that the Second World War was fought to combat nationalism. I wrote at the time that, while I’m not a historian, the Second World War Was fought to combat National Socialism and Fascism and, as far as I’m aware, Germany and Italy were already independent nations at the outset of the war.

Mr Passmore seems particularly confused. He sees no hint of nationalism in those who can rightly claim to be proud to be British and, of course, imperialism does not rate a mention.

Mr Loneskie’s crude attempt to equate the independence movement to Nazism was ignorant, distasteful and an insult to all of us who are working towards that aim.

Mr Wilson’s endorsement of Mr Loneskie’s letter, while equally laughable, is replete with a delicious irony. He quotes John Lennon who said: “Imagine there’s no countries. It isn’t hard to do. Nothing to fight or die for…”

Mr Wilson seems to have been posted Awol when George Bush’s puppet, the prime minister of the UK, Tony Blair, took Britain into two illegal wars in Iraq and Afghanistan which cost and continue to cost the loss of many thousands of lives. At the time, Alex Salmond and the SNP spoke out against these invasions and were castigated for it in the British media.

However, Mr Wilson supports the UK line and appears to think that these misadventures were something worth dying for.

Douglas Turner

Derby Street

Edinburgh