Cold War vision

Jim Sillars’ talk of Scotland out of Nato leaving “that gap wide open” (your report, 9 August) clearly shows that he views the world through the old Cold War spectacles of the classic “Soviet threat”, when it was argued that Russia needed to be restrained from exploiting the so-called “Atlantic gap” between Scotland and Greenland.

That never had much credibility even in the dark days of the Cold War. It has even less nowadays when Russia is a member of the Partners for Peace, and in effect a Nato associate member. It is now some time since Hillary Clinton staged that theatrical “reset the button” pantomime, and allegedly ended the period of collective paranoia that characterised relations between Russia and the West following the Second World War. So why does Mr Sillars evoke this past, grim situation when talking about Scotland’s future?

Nato was a product of the post-war confrontation between America and the Warsaw Pact countries under the domination of the Soviet Union. Neither the Soviet Union nor the Warsaw Pact exist today. Nato is now nothing more than an extension of American military power and influence. This is clearly seen in its involvement in the American wars in Iraq and Afghanistan – wars which have little popular support in Scotland.

So why is it so desirable that Scotland be a Nato member?

Brian M Quail

Hyndland Avenue

Glasgow

I HAVE been a member of the SNP for nearly 40 years. I am distressed to see that the SNP has the usual Scottish problem of a noisy splinter group active in its midst (your report, 10 August).

Scots seem to love stamping off in a huff – something our southern neighbours have used to their advantage for centuries.

I do not like Nato, I regard it as nothing more than an instrument of American neo-colonialism. If the heid bummers in the SNP believe that non-nuclear membership of Nato counters the defence hysteria of the Unionists, that is fine with me.

The fact is that Nato membership is academic as joining or not joining will be decided after independence, either by the Scottish Parliament or by a referendum. The only priority for SNP members is to remove Westminster from Scotland and that requires unity.

R Mill Irving

Station Road

Gifford

East Lothian