[bargainbin]

Wild reading the news earlier to see Iran is making a concerted effort to influence Scottish Independence.

Is the idea to weaken the UK? To what end?

Also, if it’s being done to us, surely we’re doing it back? The CIA and MI6 are no stranger to destabilising regimes, and yet surely it would be more common knowledge if we were employing people to post anti-Putin propaganda on Russian forums?

[phpnode]

> Is the idea to weaken the UK? To what end?

Yes, of course, the same with Brexit. It is is in Iran and Russia's interests for their enemies to be divided and distracted by internal conflict.

[consumer451]

Iran is very much an ally of Russia. The theory I have seen for Moscow wanting Scottish independence is that they might remove the UK's only nuclear sub port from their newly independent country.

Also, it would be a general black eye for the UK, which has been very supportive of the defense of Ukraine.

[rz2k]

That sounds like the blundering VP/president in The Diplomat. I wonder if it's instead North Sea Oil, and Iran preferring a UK with less energy independence.

[im3w1l]

Probably but it's also more complicated than such a simplistic analysis. I think they want to jam the communications in general. Make big problems seem small. Make small problems seem big. Make people suspect legitimate debaters of being trolls.

[mamonster]

>Also, if it’s being done to us, surely we’re doing it back?

Until USAID got gutted, yes. Now not sure.

[machomaster]

"Also, if it’s being done to us, surely we’re doing it back?"

You have it backwards. Americans were the first to do that, Russia and other were clearly lagging behind and acting in response.

[blibble]

scottish independence occurring likely ends the UK nuclear deterrent (or makes it much harder practically)

a couple hundred thousand dollars to potentially eliminate the UK as a nuclear power? seems like a no brainer if you're iran/russia