YP Letters: Corbyn right to give peace a chance

ON Friday, Jeremy Corbyn gave an exceptional speech on how to approach the complex issue of keeping us safe in an increasingly dangerous world.

He never once resorted to cliche, to soundbite or to name-calling; nor did he once play party politics or even mention Mrs May or the Tories.

He spelled out what would be the starting point for any attempt to find peace in Syria, namely the gathering of representatives of all non-IS forces in Geneva to work towards an agreement on how they can defeat them once and for all. As anyone who studies the situation on the ground will tell you, the war is extremely complex and your enemy’s enemy is not necessarily your friend, so this seems to me to be the wisest and most mature way forward from the current impasse.

Cue media and politicians lambasting him as “unfit for leadership”.

Now, if using diplomacy to work out the most mature and effective solution to a complex international problem makes you unfit to lead, then surely it is the opposite that makes you a good leader? Refusing to talk, more bombing, more refugees, more terrorists and more slaughter for us all.

Britain needs to decide if it wants to choose the way of war or the way of peace. We know the way of war well. We’ve helped destroy a number of countries, killing millions of men, women and children in Afghanistan, in Iraq, in Libya, and in Syria, just to name some.

That US-UK coalition has produced chaos in those countries – as many commentators, especially the UK peace movement and its million people on the streets, warned.

The definition of insanity is repeating the same mistake and expecting a different outcome. Are we really so addicted to war that that has to be the only response to given intractable violent situations?

Are we really necessarily a warrior country and nothing more?

I hope we choose the peacemakers.

From: Don Wood, Howden.

BILL Carmichael’s article on Islamic terrorists (The Yorkshire Post, May 26)) was yet another excellent piece. I agree with every word and would add the following.

A ban on the wearing of the burka in public. This form of dress has already been used by male terrorists to escape being arrested, and the covering of the face also prevents these ladies from being integrated into our society.

A ban on the practising of sharia law in this country, with a minimum sentence of five years in prison for anyone found to be practising sharia. There should be only British law in this country. If certain sections of the Muslim community do not want to live under that law, then they are free to go and live in a country that has sharia as its legal system.

Also, as Mr Carmichael says, the Muslim community need to do more far more to cut out these vile acts.

A recent survey found that only 34 per cent of Muslims would inform on another Muslim who they knew was a terrorist. Politicians like the Mayor of Greater Manchester need to stop excusing the Muslim community of responsibility.

For, while most are good citizens, those who fail to warn the authorities when they know someone is planning a terrorist act are condoning it by turning a blind eye. At 66 per cent, this is about 2.3 million people.

Sadly it has to be said that only Islamic fanatics fly planes into buildings or blow themselves up on crowded trains and buses. Mr Carmichael is right when he says we need some political leaders with some backbone, the problem is where are we to get them from?

From: Brian Nugent, Pecket Well Mill, Hebden Bridge.

IN response to your editorial asking if Jeremy Corbyn should be trusted with national security (The Yorkshire Post, May 27), I would answer yes.

Given the evidence of the complete debacle of Iraq, David Cameron and his public school chums still thought Libya would be better off without Gaddafi.

As we have created failed states throughout the Middle East and now North Africa, which act as training grounds for every jihadist idiot in the world, we bear some responsibility.

Your contributor Nick Gray (The Yorkshire Post, May 27) is quite right – Theresa May is part responsible by way of massive police cuts for the lack of protection the British people are now exposed to.

While the likes of Michael Fallon and Boris Johnson throw mud, give me the honesty of Jeremy Corbyn any day.

From: Michael J Robinson, Berry Brow, Huddersfield.

IT has been interesting to see Sinn Fein’s leaders condemning last week’s Manchester bombing.

It seems that the IRA’s cowardly bomb attacks are acknowledged as having been as futile and deluded as was last week’s mass murder of innocent civilians.

I trust that Jeremy Corbyn has made the point to his IRA friends that the best opportunity of achieving their aim of Irish unity may well result from any Sinn Fein majority in next week’s ballot in Northern Ireland. And, of course, a united Ireland would take off the Brexit negotiation table the issue of an unenforceable border. Perhaps unhappy Unionists could then find sanctuary in one side or the other of Glasgow, and let the Scottish Parliament have the headache.

From: Alan Chapman, Beck Lane, Bingley.

DECISION day is approaching. If Labour were to pull off a shock win what a nightmare is in store for the UK, not only will Jeremy Corbyn become Prime Minister, but what about the other major Offices of State (The Yorkshire Post, May 29)?

Do you really want John McDonnell as Chancellor of the Exchequer, Emily Thornberry as Foreign Secretary and Diane Abbott as Home Secretary?

It looks so frightening that I dare not research any further down the list.