LONDON — It is the nation that once ran the largest empire the world has ever known, a country so powerful that it claimed to "rule the waves" in a patriotic anthem.
But last month a "political tsunami" struck the United Kingdom and this once-mighty state faces being broken up.
An astonishing victory for nationalists in the Scottish parliamentary elections means it is almost certain that a referendum will be held within five years on whether Scotland should leave the U.K. and become an independent country.
The Scottish National Party (SNP) won 69 out of 129 seats in Edinburgh's Holyrood parliament, with about 45 percent of the vote, up by more than 12 percentage points. Their three main rival parties — Labour, the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats — all lost ground.



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.
Alex Salmond, Scotland's first minister and leader of the SNP, is the man plotting the demise of the 304-year-old union of the two countries. He hopes his fellow citizens will heed the message of another tune, "Flower of Scotland," the unofficial national anthem which urges Scots to "rise now and be a nation again."
While the U.K. has been one of America's staunchest allies — often concerned with the state of the so-called "special relationship" between the two countries — an independent Scotland would likely be at odds with the U.S. on many issues.
Story: An all-American Scottish nationalist on why the UK should split




The SNP would rid Scotland of nuclear weapons on moral grounds; it would also take Scotland — which lies in a strategically important position in the North Atlantic — out of NATO. And despite being a significant oil producer, the SNP has already introduced what it describes as "world-beating" climate change legislation with a target to cut carbon emissions by 80 percent by 2050.
'Illegal, immoral conflict'

Moreover, the Iraq War was "an illegal, immoral conflict," Salmond told reporters at the Foreign Press Association in London last month, and something that an independent Scotland would never have become involved in.
Leaving the U.K. would give Scotland the chance to create "a socially just, economically prosperous society," Salmond added, and not be "a country that excels in nuclear weapons and dominating others."
"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," he said.
Speaking to msnbc.com, Salmond dismissed suggestions an independent Scotland might have a poor relationship with the U.S., pointing to the mutual warmth between America and the Republic of Ireland, which is not a NATO member.
"We'd be in exactly the same position as Ireland is at the present moment," he said.
"There's a lot of goodwill towards Scotland from people in America," Salmond added, noting Scots had made a "fairly substantial contribution to the intellectual backbone of the American Revolution."


Alex Salmond, Scotland's first minister, sings with a choir while campaigning on March 30 in Peebles, Scotland. He plans to hold a referendum on leaving the U.K. within five years.
Scotland and the U.S., he said, had "a positive relationship" and that would improve after independence.
Salmond told reporters that separation from the U.K. was an idea "whose time has come."


'Psychological battle'
Asked about the poll ratings, he admitted there was a "psychological battle" to be won to persuade Scots to vote for change in the face of a "scare-mongering campaign" by unionist parties.
But Salmond said the SNP's victory in the May election showed that Scots were gaining in confidence and had rejected the "mendacious message" that Scotland was "too small and too poor to look after its own affairs."
"It was a political tsunami that occurred in Scotland," he said, days after announcing a referendum on independence would be held within the next five years.

Traditional goodwill
She feared an independent country might lose some of the traditional goodwill Americans have toward Scotland if it was "constantly trying to make grandstanding gestures on the world stage."
Goldie said it "undoubtedly would be a left-of-center, socialist administration with already well articulated views on issues like nuclear — Trident (nuclear missiles) or nuclear energy — and very strong views on social issues ,  all sorts of views which are somewhat alien to the American ethos."
One decision that was entirely alien to U.S. traditions was the early release of Abdel Baset al-Megrahi — the only person convicted in the bombing attack on Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie — on compassionate grounds in 2009, just eight years after he was found guilty of the mass murder of 270 people.




SNP Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill made the decision after doctors reportedly told him that al-Megrahi, suffering from cancer, likely had three months to live. Nearly two years after his release, al-Megrahi remains alive.
The SNP's stance on NATO is another possible source of friction.
The naval base at Faslane on the west coast of Scotland — home to the U.K.'s nuclear submarine fleet — and the safe harbor at Scapa Flow off the country's northern coast are strategically important locations.

Cold War tracking stations
Scotland is also part of a network of sonar monitoring stations — built during the Cold War to track Russian submarines moving into the North Atlantic — that could become important should the old tensions flare up again.
A senior SNP source admitted there was a difference of opinion within the party about NATO membership, with some members so strongly opposed to nuclear weapons on moral grounds that they did not want to be under NATO's "nuclear umbrella."
Defense commentator Stuart Crawford, who served as a lieutenant colonel in the U.K.'s Royal Tank Regiment and later became the SNP's junior defense spokesman, said senior party figures had long wanted to get rid of the party's "bonkers" opposition to NATO.


HMS Astute is among the nuclear submarines based at Faslane, Scotland.
Crawford, who has since left the SNP but still supports independence, said the idea of a complete disassociation from nuclear weapons had taken hold among grassroots supporters and the party was "painfully democratic."
He said Scotland might have limited significance to the U.S. now, but suggested a possible scenario that would radically change that.
"In 2030, the expanding power that is China says, 'Can we lease a naval base from you Scotland?" ,  We'll pay you billions of dollars for the privilege' — then I suggest Scotland becomes very important to the U.S.," he said.
Crawford compared such a move to the Cuban missile crisis, but added: "China is a friendly country, so what could the objection be?"

'Scotland is my home'
But Roden plans to stay. "Scotland is my home and I do believe the people of Scotland have a right to choose their own future," he said.
Another foreign-born resident of Scotland with a keen interest in the debate is Dr. Mark Aspinwall, head of politics and international relations at Scotland's Edinburgh University.
A native of Massachusetts, Aspinwall said he was "very neutral" about the idea when talking with students, but had been "sort of opposed to it" because Scotland and England "are so linked economically."
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But Aspinwall, who has dual citizenship, showed signs of wavering. "I'm not sure how I would vote to be honest," he said of the referendum.
He told msnbc.com that independence was "conceivable," but rated the chances as "less than 50-50."
Scotland "would certainly have a future as an independent country," he said, comparing it to Norway.
"There's something that is Scottish, there is an identity, a pride, a history that's a bit different," Aspinwall said.
"I love Scotland ,  It's clean and fresh, open and green. It has the same topography as northern New England, the same mountains, not the same trees ,  it's a great place, friendly people, and Edinburgh is a wonderful city, a really cosmopolitan place. It's great here."


Source:  http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43077321/ns/world_news-europe/t/scotland-split-uk-be-nation-again/

There are various groups in Nigeria that wouldn't want to be part of Nigeria or want Nigeria to spilt into independent nations, will it be possible to form political parties based on this belief?
A pro-independent party is more legal than forming a militant or armed group fighting for independence and I know there is freedom of association in Nigeria's constitution but does it recognise a pro-independent party?

Re: Scotland To Split From Uk. CAN PRO-INDEPENDENCE PARTY BE FORMED IN NIGERIA?

Definitely.

What do the MASSOBs stand for again?

what concerns the AA guy with scotland though.

does he have scottish ancestry?

i read about this the other day.

Ileke-IdI:

Definitely.

What do the [b]MASSOB[/b]s stand for again?

You are more than this now, Is Massob a political party?

tpia@:

what concerns the AA guy with scotland though.

does he have scottish ancestry?

i read about this the other day.

I think the AA emotion was just running too high.
He's just been in Scotland for months.

henry101:

You are more than this now, Is Massob a political party?

I think the AA emotion was just running too high.
He's just been in Scotland for months.

They might as well be. They yarn opata on political matters, dont they?

They might as well turn into a political party, only thing is that nobody with a serious mind takes them seriously.

Ileke-IdI:

They might as well be. They yarn opata on political matters, dont they?

They might as well turn into a political party, only thing is that nobody with a serious mind takes them seriously.

You should know that almost every ethnic group in Nigeria have their own armed group and they also make political statements and most times it is all about the autonomy of their ethnic group.

henry101:

You should that almost every ethnic group in Nigeria have their own armed group and they also make political statements and most times it is all about the autonomy of their ethnis group.

MASSOBs is specifically for the "liberation" of Biafra. While other groups like Anifere/OPC/Arewa are just there for the interest of their group.

Ileke-IdI:

MASSOBs is specifically for the "liberation" of Biafra. While other groups like Anifere/OPC/Arewa are just there for the interest of their group.

Afenifere is different cos it is more political. OPC have previously annouced their intention to cease to be part of Nigeria to form an Odua nation if things arent working well with Nigeria. There are other groups in the north that want an Islamic Nation. Just because Massob seem to be in the news all the time doesnt make other groups agitation go unnoticed.

henry101:

Afenifere is different cos it is more political. OPC have previously annouced their intention to cease to be part of Nigeria to form an Odua nation if things arent working well with Nigeria. There are other groups in the north that want an Islamic Nation. Just because Massob seem to be in the news all the time doesnt make other groups agitation go unnoticed.

In the news for the wrong reasons, I suppose.

No other group in Nigeria is as Independence-focused as the MASSOBs, nothing wrong with it. But for them to be taken serious and legit, they need warriors like you. With warriors like you, it can be turned into a political party, then from there you all can actually have your independence.

Ileke-IdI:

In the news for the wrong reasons, I suppose.

No other group in Nigeria is as Independence-focused as the MASSOBs, nothing wrong with it. But for them to be taken serious and legit, they need warriors like you. With warriors like you, it can be turned into a political party, then from there you all can actually have your independence.

The purpose of this thread is to know if it was possible to have a pro-independence political party, and also if it is permitted by the Nigerian constitution to have such parties. It has nothing to do with recruiting warriors or finding heros.

henry101:

The purpose of this thread is to know if it was possible to have a pro-independence political party, and also if it is permitted by the Nigerian constitution to have such parties. It has nothing to do with recruiting warriors or finding heros.

Your question was previously answered, based on my opinion, ofcourse. [b]You [/b]decided my answer needed to be amplified.

INEC will never register a political party that is tribalistic or sectional.

As a matter of fact, parties are expected to have presence (offices) in a wide geographic area of the country.

Ileke-IdI:

Your question was previously answered, based on my opinion, ofcourse. [b]You [/b]decided my answer needed to be amplified.

Yes, You had your opinion stated but your opinion on Massob as a possible political party isn't true.

johnie:

INEC will never register a political party that is tribalistic or sectional.

As a matter of fact, parties are expected to have presence (offices) in a wide geographic area of the country.

But, you know not all political parties are widespread in every state in Nigeria. Some are either just located in one section of a state.

henry101:

Yes, You had your opinion stated but your opinion on Massob as a possible political party isn't true.

Political warriors like yourself could join and make it a dignifying political party. MASSOBs is already a Pro-Independence regional party.

Ileke-IdI:

Political warriors like yourself could join and make it a dignifying political party. MASSOBs is already a Pro-Independence regional party.

When was it ever registered as a political party? Please, this is no discussion about any warrior. My fear is that You might repeat same again and be corrected again and again. Have a wonderful sunday.

Ileke-IdI:

Political warriors like yourself could join and make it a dignifying political party. MASSOBs is already a Pro-Independence regional party.

henry101:

When was it ever registered as a political party? Please, this is no discussion about any warrior. My fear is that You might repeat same again and be corrected again and again. Have a wonderful sunday.

Take it slow this time around. okay?

Dnt you understand what a political party mean?