It’s the famous opening crawl to Star Wars. The signature device featured in every film of the series. Static blue text: “A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away….”
But it’s the slightly closer to home Kepler 452b which has caught Alex Salmond’s attention in his latest Courier column. The recently discovered planet – which could, just perhaps, have the right conditions for life – shows the value of space exploration, argues the ex-SNP leader.
There’s also a bit of championing of, Pluto. A small but fantastic body of land which used to be a planet in its own right but has been demoted to dwarf status and feels a bit overshadowed by its larger neighbours. Nope, I can’t think where the affinity comes from either.
On a more serious note, the former First Minister says it is time to step up the fight against the threat of Daesh – otherwise known as IS – by rejecting most of the tactics which have been used so far.
He writes: “The strategy we should employ would be one which took on the extremist propaganda as a battle of ideas, emphasised the role of diplomacy in sustaining an anti-Daesh coalition, cuts off the supply of its ample finance and identified military action only as a means of protecting and reinforcing communities under direct threat from the extremists helping those who are carrying the fight to the terrorists on the ground.”
Salmond cites figures from the House of Commons Library, uncovered by North East Fife MP Stephen Gethins, which show the UK spent 13 times as much bombing Libya as in rebuilding the country as evidence simply waging wars is not enough.
To read Alex Salmond’s exclusive column in full, pick up a copy of Monday’s Courier.