From the SNP website - Policy on defence
All of the text below is verbatim from SNP.org – the bold and red highlighting is mine.
The SNP wants Scotland to be a normal country making its own decisions about defence and peacekeeping. Only when priorities are set in Scotland can we prevent our brave servicemen and women being ordered into illegal conflicts. The historic regiments of Scotland have been destroyed through amalgamation and downsizing; an independent Scotland will redress this.
A Scottish Defence Service
The priority of the Scottish Defence Services (SDS), in partnership with Scotland’s neighbours and allies, will be to safeguard our land, sea and air space. The SDS will initially be equipped with Scotland’s negotiated share of UK defence resources. Service and pension conditions will be at least equal to those of the UK forces.
The SDS will be a professional force supported by reserve forces with employment opportunities open to everyone meeting the appropriate standard. MoD civilian support personnel employed in Scotland at Independence will have the opportunity to remain in the Scottish MoD or Scottish civil service. Scotland will maintain active defence commitments with its friends and allies through the United Nations, European Union and Partnership for Peace.
No to Nuclear
The SNP reaffirms that no nuclear weapons will be based on independent Scottish soil.
An independent SNP government will not be part of a nuclear-based commitment such as NATO.
SNP priorities in defence are that:
• Defence policy should be made in Scotland’s national Parliament.
• Scotland’s armed services should be well remunerated, equipped and trained.
• Historic regiments will be re-established as part of the SDS.
• Military facilities, including strategic airforce stations, should not be downsized at the present time.
• Nuclear weapons will be banished from Scotland forever.
• Counter terrorism provision will be enhanced, and plans will include elements of the regular and reserve SDS as part of a co-ordinated strategy.
• Military practice will be reviewed to balance the necessity of training against the disturbance to communities.
A fair deal for our soldiers and their families
Our soldiers and their families deserve to be treated with respect, both during and after service. Bereaved families should not have to wait years to lay loved ones to rest, or to find out the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
The Scottish Government will continue to work with the UK Government to find a way to allow military inquests to be heard in Scotland requiring changes to current legislation. No family should have to wait 3 years to put loved ones to rest, and by moving inquests to Scotland, we can remove current backlogs in the system.
Posts
