Syria and the lessons of history

OUR once British empire has lost its ill-gotten title and is now called the Commonwealth. The once Great Britain is now the United Kingdom – and yet we still poke our nose into other countries’ affairs.

As far back as Richard the Lionheart and his crusades we interfered in the Middle East and even at that time Richard almost put our country into bankruptcy.

And now our government spokesman, William Hague, is telling us that the present problems in the Middle East will go on for decades to come. Did he not read history at university? For as far as I know, these problems have been ongoing for centuries. Things were made even worse in 1948 with the backing of the United States.

While we have persisted in trying to bring the Middle East to heel, other countries have peacefully taken over our industries and power supplies without one drop of blood being spilt. Immigrants have taken the jobs – apparently they work longer, harder and better and for lower pay. This is supposed to be good for our economy.

As a good many of these immigrant workers (who work for much less pay) are in the construction industry, why is it forecast that there will be a significant rise in property prices when the labour costs are much lower than before?

Could this be a builder’s paradise, with the usual excuse of supply and demand? The usual rip-off Britain. Sorry, UK.

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

GWYNNE Dyer’s excellent article (Yorkshire Post, August 27) about the use of poison gas in Syria lists the use of gas in various conflicts after it was banned in the Geneva Protocol of 1925.

However, he omitted one well documented occasion – namely the dropping of poison gas bombs in Mesopotamia (modern day Iraq) by the RAF in 1928.

Britain invaded Mesopotamia in 1916, and in 1920 it became a British mandated territory. Britain named the country Iraq and set up an Arab monarchy. Iraq became independent in 1932.

God knows what course the USA and other Western powers will take, or what Russia and other Syrian allies will respond with, but you can be sure that as on other similar occasions where we have stuck our noses in where we are not wanted it will only make us more enemies, cost us a lot of money and, most importantly, a lot of lives.

From John Halkon, Richmond.

I could forgive the Prime Minister for wishing to police the world with his friends the United States and France if this Government had not sought reductions in our Armed Forces and continued to do so.

It has been pointed out many times that the future cannot be foretold and if another crisis arose how could our depleted forces cope?

It is now past the time when Mr Cameron should be restoring our military strength.

With regard to Syria, one question I always ask myself at times like this is would the western powers be so keen to take action if it was say North Korea, China or Russia having attacked their own people in this manner? I think not.

From: Peter Neil Taylor, Magnolia Close, Driffield, East Yorkshire.

Surely now is the time for an effective force made up from member countries of the 
United Nations to be brought together to bring the appalling situation which exists in Syria to an end as a matter of real emergency?

The result of such action should lead to those proved to be responsible for the terrible atrocities to be brought before the International Court of Justice in The Hague and dealt with as necessary.

From: Terry Duncan, Greame Road, Bridlington.

Once again David Cameron has laid bare his incompetence in failing to recognise the opinion of the UK electorate, who are fed up of recent governments getting involved in conflicts which are none our business.

Already the PM has been stamped with the title of U-Turn Dave – maybe the U should mean useless – and the Tory party should start looking for a new leader before the forthcoming General Election, or shortly after.

Mr Cameron has not got it in him. God help us if we had a real crisis at home.

From: Paul Emsley, Newton Way, Hellifield, near Settle.

WE, none of us, should be under any illusion about China’s and Russia’s objections to any United Nations military action against the Syrian government for their use of chemical weapons against their own people. It is because they maintain the right for their governments to do exactly the same thing against their own people.

What the United Nations needs is a resolution to hurt regimes economically.

Turbulent priests praised

From: E Farrington-Birchall, Limestone Road, Burniston, Scarborough.

OF course Jim Buckley is right (Yorkshire Post, August 3). Archbishop John Sentamu has every right to comment and to speak his mind on any subject he chooses, including the state of affairs in this country. Indeed, I believe it is the right of any person in Holy Orders to do the same.

What kind of a democracy would it be if everybody in the land was able to make such comments but no, not priests, you must simply keep to your religious matters? Intolerance and discrimination!

So Dr Sentamu, Archbishop per excellentiam, please carry on with your comments and observations. Also all other priests who feel inclined to do so – with all the emphasis you can muster!