Cameron must be prepared for a lengthy and costly fight against Isil
SIR – Lord Richards, a former chief of the Armed Forces, is right that any move to launch air strikes against Isil in Syria must be coupled with the commitment of ground forces (report, July 20).
If we are to avoid a similar situation which found us wanting in Iraq and Afghanistan, David Cameron must accept that any military intervention will be for the long haul. The level of forces committed must be substantial and costly, and there is likely to be a lack of public support when casualties mount.
If he is uneasy about any of this, then he should not commit.
Lt Col Jeremy Prescott (retd)
Oadby, Leicestershire SIR – The Prime Minister does no good inveighing against Isil while refusing to address its continuing attraction to those who see Western arrogance and greed as their casus belli.
Joining air strikes, putting boots on the ground, closing madrasas, banning preachers and implementing programmes of “re-education” will only strengthen the resolve of those who consider themselves to be fighting a just war against these things.
Rev R C Paget
Brenchley, Kent SIR – In recent years, we have seen a decline in British leadership on the world stage as a result of David Cameron’s shift from real power to illusory soft power, exercised through a bloated overseas aid budget, while the Armed Forces are run down.
Mr Cameron has, perhaps understandably, over-reacted to the toxic outcome of the disastrous foreign policy mistakes of New Labour.
Tony Blair provided false heroic leadership, embarking on international adventures with seemingly limited understanding of the countries involved and little thought for the aftermath. Many people felt his decisions were driven by an appetite for narrow political advantage and self-aggrandisement.
Mr Cameron might usefully observe that Mr Blair’s military posturing was not matched by any increase in military expenditure. The consequences of this imbalance became apparent in military failures in places like Basra and Helmand.
Now that Mr Cameron has won a mandate, one can only hope that he will have the courage to increase military spending and allow Britain to fulfil its potential as a world leader.
Gregory Shenkman
London W8 SIR – Bombing Syria is likely to kill innocent people, make many Muslims even more hostile to the West, encourage revenge attacks, give succour to warmongers and manufacturers of armaments, diminish the role of the UN, further enshrine the idea that the West can bomb anyone without legal authority and confirm that the West has no workable policy for the Middle East.
It will do no good.
Robert Perks
Lytham St Annes, Lancashire