LETTERS SPECIAL

THE terrorist atrocities in Paris and the ongoing struggle with ISIS and all its implications have generated a massive mailbag from readers.

Is ‘shoot to kill’ justified?

Jeremy Corbyn says he doesn’t want the police to operate a ‘shoot to kill’ policy against terrorists — but the phrase ‘shoot to kill’ is one used by the public and media rather than the police.

When I was a police firearms officer, this phrase wasn’t used. We were trained to ‘stop’ the target.

There are many factors outside the control of the officer firing as to whether or not a person survives being shot. The killers of the soldier Lee rigby both survived being shot by police as they attempted to protect themselves from attack.

And a terrorist gunman could be wearing an explosive vest. The need to make sure such a person is ‘stopped’ sufficiently to prevent them detonating their explosives must be obvious. For a police officer to attempt to arrest such a person when they’re still conscious would be suicidal.

Perhaps mr Corbyn would like to attend a police firearms training session and explain to the officers how they should deal with the type of gunmen we witnessed in Paris.

RON LINKINS, Bexhill on Sea, Sussex. IT’s all very well having police officers dressed in tactical gear, with body armour and weapons to protect them (mail). but when called on to do their duty and protect the public, who will protect them from money-grabbing lawyers? our politicians will just bury their heads in the sand.

LIONEL McMILLAN, Maddiston, Falkirk. Perhaps Jeremy Corbyn, snug and content in the parallel planet on which he exists, can tell us which of the latest batch of deranged, murdering Islamists he would invite to talk over their problems and with whom he could discuss world affairs over a cup of tea.

To rule out entirely a violent approach when having to deal with these bloodthirsty barbarians is lunacy and it is no wonder we hear reports of Labour MPS attending the latest party meeting rebelling noisily. Can mr Corbyn be serious?

Principle and integrity I can understand, even admire, but foolishness to the point of madness I cannot.

ALEXANDER MCKAY, Edinburgh. The murderous thugs of Is will rejoice in the weasel words of Labour and the SNP in their ‘moderate’ response to the extreme evil of the Islamists.

‘Don’t shoot to kill,’ says Jeremy Corbyn when our security forces confront monsters slaughtering ordinary people going about their ordinary lives.

‘Welcome them with open arms,’ says nicola sturgeon of muslim refugees when we already know terrorist sleeper cells are hiding and are supported by many.

‘Don’t send the RAF to bomb Is targets in syria’ clamour the Snp and Labour — ‘it won’t do any good.’

Well now, if you were among the brave men fighting Is on the ground, would you not welcome a Tornado materialising over the horizon to flatten the target in front of you? WILLIAM LONESKIE, Lauder, Berwickshire.

Scientific solution

Perhaps if some eminent scientists could explain more of the universe to those determined to blow themselves into it, we may live in a safer world.

A. McMILLAN, Glasgow.

Protect our values

one lesson from the Paris atrocities is the need for proper border and other immigration controls.

It is clear that for the foreseeable future the main european countries must re-introduce full border controls. In the current circumstances, the schengen vision of a borderless europe is not simply dead, but deadly.

Another lesson is to remind us that the very first duty of the state is provide security for its people. That duty falls firmly on the individual european states and not on the brussels bureaucracy, which is both legally and psychologically incapable of protecting us.

A key part of that duty is to vet all people entering their territory to filter out those with hostile intent.

Furthermore, our own security in europe will have to take priority in our dealings with the wave of migrants from the middle east and muslim Africa. Those who don’t share our values will have to be barred from europe.

It follows from this that the refugee Convention will have to be qualified, so that a state can refuse asylum to any person who does not share its values. It should be for each state to decide democratically what its values are.

Amongst our core values are: the broad equality of the sexes, public justice, toleration of homosexuals, democracy, freedom to change and reject religion, a spirit of inquiry and freedom of speech.

All these stand at odds with the terrorists’ salafist world view that has its roots in saudi Arabia.

Talking about these vital issues is not going to help; immediate action is needed.

OTTO INGLIS, Edinburgh.

Schengen is dead

Refugees from syria coming to the UK, and specifically scotland, have been carefully vetted we are told.

but what about the thousands let into mainland europe? Who checked them out — not the Greeks, who just waved on thousands to get them off their beaches.

And the numbers piling up at Calais trying to force a way through the Channel Tunnel prove that no one in the rest of europe is doing much to deal with them properly.

The schengen deal is null and void — all must have passports and be required to show them.

britain has the natural advantage of being an island, but that is not enough. our leaky borders need, at this critical time, to be secured.

FIONA WILSON, Paisley.

Cowardly thugs

How completely and utterly heartwarming it is to hear the leaders of europe, America and russia make a long-awaited pledge of unity to divest our planet of the brutal cowards inflicting such misery and carnage in the name of an unwilling God.

Is are nothing more than cowardly thugs, afraid to show their faces or admit to who and where they are – modern-day mercenaries who are too simple to think for themselves and haven’t the empathy or understanding to become a part of a humane society.

Finally, let us please remember there are far, far more of us than them in this world and what we must do is stand up and be counted, pull together and rid the world of this menace once and for all.

Carol Mckinley, via email.

Left out in the cold

I Wonder how many constituents within the 32 local authorities in scotland were asked if they wanted syrians to be housed within their local areas?

I wonder how many people who have been on local authority housing waiting lists for years must be feeling knowing that councils can suddenly find properties for others but not for them?

FIONA McKEMMIE, Glasgow.

Turn refugees away

In light of the latest barbaric atrocities in Paris perhaps the First minister would be better advised to reconsider her decision to welcome refugees from syria or any other country with known links to Is.

The First minister’s priority in the present climate of terror must surely be the security and safety of the people of this country.

Let’s not be blinded by sentiment or we too might find to our cost that we have imported another batch of murderous terrorists to recreate the carnage witnessed in Paris.

I pray my fears are unfounded, but I