One of the major reasons the UK state does not want Scotland to leave, though it is not often spelled out in this way, is that the UK's ability to project its power worldwide would diminish.

There are so many assumptions wrapped up in this idea that it is sometimes hard to know where to begin unpicking them.

In what way is this power projected, and to what end?

Why is it automatically considered by many, and usually by the media, that the UK is using this power for good?

Those are good questions. However, the discussion is usually limited to ideas surrounding "Humanitarian Intervention", and whether it is the right thing to do this time around.

Recent examples of UK "Humanitarian Intervention" would be Iraq, Afghanistan, Yugoslavia and many others.

The podcast you are about to listen to is a speech by Noam Chomsky from earlier this month in which he takes apart this doctrine of Humanitarian Intervention.

Though he speaks principally about the United States, what he says on the topic holds good for the UK which, for the most part, desperately tries to hang on to the coat tails of the US.

Are these the kind of interventions worth defending?

Have a listen...