On 25 Feb 2007 12:53:28 GMT, Alistair Gunn wrote:

I don't ask you to believe it, be gullible if you want.

Well, if you want to believe that 100% independence (which I'll
certainly grant the UK deterrent isn't 100% independent) is logically
equivalent to 100% lack of independence that's up to you ...

Independence is an absolute state. Something is either independent, or
it's not. It's not possible to be 50% independent. Phrases like "A is
more independent than B" don't make sense (although you could
correctly say that "A is closer to independence than B").