Friday's Letters: We cannot be simplistic over future of our Armed Forces

In this regard, Prof Grove is a naval historian and a prolific author who has served at the Britannia Royal Naval College Dartmouth, taught at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich and the United States Naval Academy, Annapolis.

It appears that Prof Grove has used this article as a damage limitation exercise for the Royal Navy, using the Royal Air Force to demonstrate even-handedness, in an attempt to undermine the case put forward by General Richard Dannatt that the Army is not properly equipped for its task in Afghanistan.

To this end, the professor states we need a realistic policy for the defence of our nation and then proceeds to attack Gen Dannatt in particular and the Army in general on how it has conducted the Afghanistan campaign. He then produces a range of equipment statistics to pad the article that have little to do with operations in Afghanistan but gives a misguided impression that the Army has ample vehicles and equipment but has left them behind in Germany.

This interpretation is far too simplistic. The Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force have to continue to train for ongoing and future operations. This essential fact of service life cannot occur if all the equipment is in one location or another theatre. Nor does the article adequately address how many of the existing war fighting vehicles are actually operational.

Had the then Labour government properly funded the 1998 Strategic Defence Review, the military would have been in a better position to deal with the ongoing Middle East situation.

Furthermore, the current "counter insurgency" operations in Afghanistan must not be taken as established doctrine for the future use of British forces and it is imperative that the media consider fully the long-term UK defence aims alongside shorter-term objectives when deciding to publish defence-related articles. A prevalent misconception offered by various media outlets is that the Army might somehow wish to operate in isolation from the other two services or even benefit from their emasculation. The history of warfare, including recent UN-Nato operations, all confirm the need for sustainable combined forces.

Defence is a very serious business and demands integrity.

To conclude, I declare my position of bias having served in the Army for 40 years and retired in 2006, yet I firmly support a balanced relevant military.

From: Lt Col MJ Lindley (Retd), Market Weighton, East Riding.

Welcome to 'Third World' country

From: Phil Hanson, Beechmount Close, Baildon, Shipley.

I CAN agree with the Pope's aide, Cardinal Walter Kasper, who said arriving at Heathrow is like arriving in a Third World country (Yorkshire Post, September 17).

Heathrow arrival makes many white Britons feel as if they are a minority or getting off at the wrong stop.

Heathrow is an indicator of the massive influx we have been gifted by Tony Blair whose policy of mass immigration may well end up fulfilling Enoch Powell's prophecy if it has not already become the case.

Too much of anything is a bad thing and immigration is no different.

From: Alec Denton, Oxford Avenue, Guiseley, Leeds.

A FEW years ago, I had the misfortune to travel on the Tube from Heathrow to central London and the view from the carriage window firmly convinced me that parts of our capital city now resemble a Third World city.

The Tube passed miles of graffiti covered walls and litter strewn surfaces.

Regarding Cardinal Kasper's comments about the UK's aggressive atheism, surely the media hysteria and hype that greeted his remarks more than bears out their truth of that statement.

The core message of all the major religions is one of hope, but the core message of atheism is of no hope. Given the aggressive atheism that has come to the surface in our formerly tolerant country, perhaps we should not be too surprised at the negativity and passion for bad news shown by the national media.

In my opinion, Cardinal Kasper was guilty of a lack of tact, but he certainly spoke the truth and it is wrong to shoot the messenger.

Bleak future for Royal Mail

From: Diane Simpson, Fallow Croft, Huddersfield.

WHAT a disappointment Vince Cable is turning out to be. I thought he'd be a man of fresh ideas. What a shame he is just yet another minister determined to destroy our postal system. The Royal Mail is unique – once in private hands, it will become no more (Yorkshire Post, September 11). What has happened?

Only a short time ago, we were led to believe it had turned the financial corner. As for the 10bn hole in the pension scheme, no private company will pick this up and the taxpayer will surely have to fund it before the Government will be able to get a sale of any kind.

In short, the service will be decimated, privateers will cherrypick all the best bits, thousands will lose their jobs and pay and conditions for those remaining will be reduced to a shadow of what has been hard won over many years.

Finally, I realise that there is little the public can do about it now we're saddled with this carbuncle of a coalition. The only thing I can do in protest is cancel my First Day Cover account – after all, they'll no longer be stamps of the British Isles but just the issue of yet another money-grabbing private enterprise.

Transport toll of strikes

From: Kevin Wilson, Cottingley, Leeds.

IN his article "The band of brothers who aren't so fraternal" (Yorkshire Post, March 13), Mark Stuart asks, "Where is the champion of the consumer when damaging transport strikes grind the country to a halt?" when referring to the inaction of Consumer Focus (or National Consumer Council). Why does he mention the strikes? The privatisation of the transport system has caused far more damage than any strikes.

The rest of us who actually use the transport system could ask exactly the same question every day as local transport is axed and fares increase on what feels like a monthly basis. The present transport system is in a complete mess and not representing the consumers' interests.

From: Peter R Hyde, Kendale View, Driffield.

SO the Trades Union Congress has voted for combined strike action to stop spending cuts. Well folks, before you start on this road to ruination, remember this, you will end up paying your union bosses wages while you strike yourselves out of work.

Also remember that when you are on strike you will receive no pay while your union bosses enjoy their usual pay and perks (Yorkshire Post, September 14).

It would be far better to sit down and negotiate to lessen the effects of the cuts because, be assured, this Government will have the strength to resist and the only people who will get hurt in the end are people like yourselves, who rely on public services to live. Fine talk by union leaders will lead to you being the sufferers.

From: Len Fincham, Bramley, Leeds.

YOUR Comment on the TUC "dinosaurs" (Yorkshire Post, September 14) was brilliant; please keep it up.

What a disconnected way to run our railways

From: Mrs Linda Lister, Grasmere Close, Penistone, Sheffield.

AFTER our recent holiday to Malta, my husband and I decided to take the train from Manchester Airport to our home in Penistone instead of begging friends or daughter to pick us up at the airport.

We did well! We found the platform and a very helpful young man gave us all the information we needed to know. The trains were often and on time and there was ample time to catch the train to Penistone from Huddersfield. Wonderful.

We had a very pleasant journey crossing the scenic but severe landscape of the Pennines to Huddersfield. That's when our euphoria ceased.

We arrived in Huddersfield to find the hourly train to Penistone had been cancelled because of lack of staff. I was a little taken aback and after a few inquiries was told it was nothing to do with them but Northern, which is the train company. We got no apology or directions to a more comfortable waiting area, so we waited for another hour for the next train. This was crowded because of the doubling up of two

trains. No extra carriages.

I suppose from this there are two points I wish to make. I felt that there was a myopic vision within the railway industry. Where was the unity and responsibility to please the consumer as we experienced at the airport? Secondly, where is the encouragement for people like us to change our ways?

Having used and had a good experience of public transport in Malta, we need to have the transport in place as scheduled if people like me are going to ditch their car and change their habits in order to preserve our planet for the future.

From: Keith Chapman, Custance Walk, York.

I listened once again to the radio list of cancelled early morning trains – this service announcement does seem a regular occurrence these days.

One can understand regular passengers losing confidence when these services are cancelled and nothing seems to be mentioned as any alternative organised by the rail companies to put on replacement

train, taxi or bus services.

Stations mentioned are Thirsk, Northallerton, Selby and Hull. There are others that are mentioned but these are ones that seem to be heard quite frequently.

It really is not acceptable when we are supposed to be encouraging the use of public transport than using the car for getting around. It appears it may be getting worse in the north of the county.

TV chemistry fails to fizzle

From: Christine McDade, Station Court, Morton on Swale, North Yorkshire.

I ECHO 100 per cent Jayne Dowle's column (Yorkshire Post, September 13) on Adrian Chiles and Christine Bleakley.

Like Jayne, when The One Show started, I flicked to any other channel, unable to understand the chemistry between two overpaid presenters.

Until Monday of last week, I was an avid watcher of GMTV and felt that the presenters had become friends. Since that date, I have been unable to watch and cannot understand how ITV think their new presenters are going to increase their viewing figures. Certainly, I have now defected to the BBC.

Wasted time by the police

From David Neil, Otley Road, Menston.

I NOTE with interest the prosecution of the TV presenter Ray Gosling for wasting police time – even though it was the police's choice, not his, to investigate the circumstances of an apparent confession he made on a documentary programme (Yorkshire Post, September 15).

Can we now expect to see the same standards applied to everyone else? Last year I was the victim of a crime but despite hours of statement-taking and form-filling, the police failed to question a single actual suspect. I look forward to seeing them prosecuted for wasting my time.

Fruits of research

From: Ron Farley, Croftway, Camblesforth, near Selby, North Yorkshire.

AS GM crops seem to be entering this country by the back door, and given that plant and animal genes are being mixed together, will we see signs in our country lanes in the near future reading: "Catch your own strawberries"?