Plan to put raw troops on front line is shameful

I was shocked to read last week about how a deepening manpower crisis has meant that Army recruits who have yet to complete their training are to be deployed on the front line for the first time in British history.

The Ministry of Defence should hang their heads in shame for riding roughshod over our very brave soldiers like this. This comes on top of our troops going to Afghanistan without the right equipment. And when they come back, they get third-rate homes.

This injustice is completely unacceptable in a civilised, democratic society. Let’s hope the Government and MoD see the light and realise that you cannot play Russian roulette with our troops.

D.F. Courtney, Weston-super-Mare It’s shameful that, at a time when Britain is about to carve out a new international role for itself, we are simultaneously treating our Armed Forces in such a shabby manner. If the Government is right about the world being more dangerous than ever, why has it reduced our military to its smallest size ever?

How dare it treat our service men and women so disgracefully, to put them in harm’s way without the proper training?

Military service is a two-way street: those who join up are prepared to give the ultimate sacrifice if necessary, but in return they expect and deserve all the training, investment and support we can provide.

That contract looks as if it’s being abandoned by the Government. And I am ashamed.

Also, Britain doesn’t allow anyone under-18 to fight our wars – how can Ministers now justify deploying 17-year-olds to fight jihadis on the streets of Britain?

Tom Harris, former Labour MP, Glasgow History is littered with examples of what we should and shouldn’t have done militarily.

Before Hitler invaded Poland in September 1939, Neville Chamberlain had maintained a policy of appeasement – which only served to whet Hitler’s appetite for more and more conquests in Europe. Tony Blair took Britain to war unnecessarily in a misguided attempt to disarm the Iraqis of their imagined weapons of mass destruction.

But whatever the circumstances we are in, we should always have a military that can act if necessary.

Perhaps now we have had a change of leader, Mrs May should take the opportunity to think about the great deal of money we waste on misused foreign aid – and spend it on our military instead.

J. Bell, London Migrants who have arrived in the UK after being made homeless in their own countries could be enlisted into our Armed Forces to give them an opportunity to support the country they would like to live in.

Bernard Smith, Billericay, Essex