Security in an Independent Scotland

Stephen Richard — Thu, 28 Oct 2021 14:42:14 +0000

Security in an Independent Scotland Stephen Richard Thu, 10/28/2021 - 15:42

Author or Creator

Common Weal

How do we ensure national security in an independent Scotland?

Is Scotland going to be safe after independence?

Every country in the world faces potential threats to domestic security and an independent Scotland will be no different. It is important that Scotland is properly prepared to deal with those threats if they arise and so an effective national security plan should be established during the transition period.

So what are the threats and how do we deal with them?

The biggest threats to national security are not military threats. Cyber attacks are much, much more likely than military attacks and so cyber security is a priority. The threat from criminal activity or terrorism (both domestic and international) is also significantly greater than the military threat. And potentially greatest among them all is the threat of serious damage to key national infrastructure from climate change and environmental crisis. Of course Scotland must be able to defend its borders but the threat of a direct territorial threat is minimal. From there it is a matter of the choices of governments subsequently elected, but it seems unlikely that Scotland will want to develop an aggressive offensive military position like that of the UK, meaning direct military operations overseas would be limited to participating in UN peacekeeping initiatives. A strategy for each is needed.

How do we deal with cyber security, crime and terrorism?

These are primarily criminal issues and should be the remit of a Scottish Security and Intelligence Agency, which would be located in the police service. This would be the primary means of monitoring organised crime, cyber attacks and, working closely with the Borders and Customs Agency, incursions into Scotland's territory (such as smuggling). It would have units dealing with all the different forms of intelligence-gathering but would be under civilian oversight. It would immediately seek to develop positive sharing relationships with the intelligence agencies of other countries. It would also house a National Cyber Security Agency, a specialist body dealing with cyber crime, including cyber attacks from foreign governments.

If the intelligence agency is monitoring threats, how do we counter them?

Much of the threat is from organised crime or is in the form of other illegal activity. The Scottish Security and Intelligence Agency would be housed in the police service and it would be a police matter to intervene and enforce in most occasions. Where the activity is offshore it would be the Borders and Customs agency, properly equipped with intercept ships, which would take action. Political decisions and strategy would be made in a Department of National Security and it would all be overseen by a National Security Committee of the Scottish Parliament.

But we'll need armed forces, right?

Yes, a nation has to be able to defend its borders and Scotland will want to be able to contribute to UN peacekeeping initiatives. But that is not the only role an armed forces might have; the other big threat (climate change) can create civil emergencies which may need a response and deploying an army may be a key contributor to that. It is unlikely, however, that Scotland will want to fight offensive wars. This means that defence spending is likely to be significantly lower than the UK. But building up an army is not something you can do overnight – in fact, it is the one major task which cannot be completed within the three-year transition period and will probably take about ten years to build up what would be known as the Scottish Defence Force.

So how do we build an army?

It may be that Scottish service men and women currently serving in the British Armed Forces may want to transfer to a Scottish Defence Force but this certainly can't be taken for granted. These will be quite different services with quite different cultures and Scotland's focus on domestic defence and civilian contributions may not appeal to or be too great a culture shift for those used to the UK's aggressive overseas stance. The UK will have a wide range of military assets but it is also unlikely that Scotland will want to take a pro-rata share of these since, again, they are orientated towards an offensive position. For example, neither aircraft carriers nor fast jets are much use for territorial defence so 'inheriting' them from the UK would have little point. Scotland would be better to recruit and train the personnel and build up tailored military assets for a Scottish Defence Force over time and thereby get the military we actually need. This would be done over ten years using the annual defence budget and much of it could be procured from Scotland.

What about Scotland's defence in the interim?

It is worth repeating that there is no imminent military threat to Scotland's territory. It is also clear that the rest of the UK will not want any foreign powers to make incursions into Scotland's territory – so as part of negotiations a phased transition deal would be sought. Joining Nato would commit Scotland to military spending higher than it would otherwise be likely to commit (and would change Scotland's defensive posture) so should be a political decision for after independence. But Nato has a programme called Partnership for Peace of which countries like Ireland, Sweden and Finland are members and which offers collective defence. This is a non-controversial step that should be taken during the three year transition period.

Keywords

Defence

Scottish Defence Force

Towards a Defence & Security strategy for an independent Scotland

Stephen Richard — Sun, 12 Sep 2021 08:17:06 +0000

Towards a Defence & Security strategy for an independent Scotland

Primary Author or Creator

Garry Macdonald

Stephen Richard Sun, 09/12/2021 - 09:17

Additional Author(s) / Creators

Common Weal

Alternative Published Date

December 2017

Category

Scottish government

Defence and Security

Type of Resource

Policy Paper

Fast Facts

This paper is intended to provide an overview of the following aspects of a Scottish Defence & Security Strategy:

• What is meant by ‘Scottish national security’
• What threats it would be required to address
• What framework it would operate under
• How Scottish foreign policy would impact it
• What institutions would implement it

The intent of this paper is not to serve as a finalised strategy but instead to provide a basis for further discussion and development.

More details

― An independent Scotland’s present and future threat environment includes serious organised crime, cybercrime, terrorism, social unrest, coercion by state and non-state actors, military threat from a foreign state and natural or man-made disaster. The current threat is predominantly occupied by non-state actors as opposed to any existential or territorial threat. However a defence & security strategy should account for future risk assessment, without indulging a ‘climate of fear’.

― In the interim period following independence, Scotland should pursue ‘associate membership’ in NATO and the EU, allowing for a more flexible foreign policy while allowing integration in specific areas of mutual interest. This would take the form of joining the ‘partnership for peace’ programme in respect to NATO and the European Free Trade Association in respect to the EU, before considering full membership in the future.

― A framework for an independent Scotland’s Defence & Security Strategy should rest on five pillars: policy coherence (strategic integration across the various policy areas which affect defence and security); regional partnerships (forming strong relationships with like-minded countries, taking account of Scotland’s geopolitical position); a resilience model (ensuring Scottish society as a whole is resilient to shocks); a law enforcement focus (a presumption that law enforcement takes priority over military); and readiness and regeneration (an ability to respond quickly if the military threat landscape changes suddenly).

― A single, integrated Scottish Security & Intelligence Agency should be established, responsible for collecting, analysing and utilising information in support of law enforcement, national security and foreign policy objectives.

― Police Scotland will have to significantly enhance its Organised Crime & Terrorism Unit while its International Assistance Unit would take on increased significance in the context of independence.

― A Scottish Customs Agency would be required to tackle the economic and social impact of illegal trafficking on Scotland, working closely with law enforcement, intelligence and military forces.

Resource Address (URL)

https://commonweal.scot/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Towards-a-Defence-Security-s…

Keywords

Defence

security

Foreign affairs

Scottish Customs Agency

Police

Language English