Nato nonsense

There is no doubt that Nato countries would be more than delighted to carry out their twice yearly exercises in Scottish waters to the north of the Pentland Firth/Isle of Lewis in the Western Isles as they have done for decades should Scotland gain independence.

However, according to Defence Secretary Philip Hammond, an independent Scotland would be refused entry into Nato. As he well knows, this is a lot of scaremongering and codswallop.

For Mr Hammond to add that Scottish troops such as the Black Watch and Scots Guards would be retained by the UK forces is beyond anybody’s comprehension. Does he not understand that the UK forces would no longer exist should Scotland gain independence?

Only the runt would be left with the rUK.

Donald J Morrison

Haig Street

Buckie

Ellis Thorpe (Letters, 7 October) mentions an estimated defence budget for an independent Scotland of £2.5 billion.

Whatever the sum eventually is, we may expect that most of it will be spent in Scotland, contributing to the Scottish economy, though some is likely to go on purchases from elsewhere of the “high-tech weapons”, with which he rightly expects us to equip our conventional forces.

In the course of time we may even make some of these for ourselves. Scotland used to have a reputation for making excellent optical equipment, including gun sights.

David Stevenson

Blacket Place

Edinburgh