Call for balance — constant Russiabashing could end badly

THE constant, boorish chorus of Russiabashing by Western governments and media needs to stop before nuclear war puts an end to us all.

People need to look behind the hysterical headlines and, so far, evidencefree allegations of Russian ‘‘meddling’’ and nerve agent attacks, for some balance.

It makes no sense that Russia, already vilified for nearly everything ‘‘bad’’ that happens, would be so stupid as to carry out the alleged nerve agent attack in the UK on the eve of its elections and the soccer World Cup.

What would make sense though is a ‘‘false flag’’ provocation by Western interests to further smear Russia as the designated evil enemy, thus ratcheting up the fear needed to channel more funds to the military/security complex. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) verified in September 2017 the complete destruction of Russia’s entire chemical weapons programme and nerve agent production capabilities.

The countries who level these accusations at Russia should hang their heads in shame for the carnage they’ve caused in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Syria and Yemen, to name a few. Graham Blair

Calton Hill

Seeing red

ONE wonders at the logic behind the new traffic lights outside the Countdown supermarket in Mosgiel.

Obviously they’re biased to favour Gordon Rd, but the time given for Inglis St traffic is way too short for safety, particularly when waiting for those turning right from Countdown.

Five to 10 seconds is not sufficient. Even a police car has been seen going through orange/red lights.

Kirk McMillan

Mosgiel

Assisted suicide

WINIFRED Balchin has a good point regarding clinically assisted suicide (ODT letters, 30.11.17).

We should also consider the doctor’s dilemma; would he or she be disciplined for refusing to murder us? Alan Beck

Dunedin