Nucleardeterrent?

Alexander Mckay (Letters, 22 June) offers no reason to assume that having weapons of mass destruction (WMD) ever deterred anyone from attacking Britain. Who could possibly gain from such an act? The great majority of countries do not possess such weapons but have never been threatened. Ireland (not in Nato) is an example.

The Soviets did not “storm through Europe” after the war but only those countries which were under Nazi control. The UK as an ally had greatly helped them and did not have a “deterrent”. It was in a terrible state, so why would the USSR, similarly afflicted, want to invade it?

Mrmckaysayswearethreatened by numerous dictators but does not elaborate. It is very rare for any state to attack another, and when it happens it is an adjoining country. The only cases in the last 70 years I know of are North Korea, Iraq, which invaded Iran, and Kuwait and Indonesia, which invaded adjacent islands.

Mr Mckay should say just who he thinks would attack us and why. Anyone with such intent would surely do so by cyber warfare.

Of the threats we face, a military one is the least likely. Far more dangerous are diseases due to “superbugs”, volcanic activity in Iceland or Tenerife and being hit be an asteroid

Any parties willing to launch an attack on the UK are unlikely to be deterred by fear of violent retaliation. In fact, they might welcome it as a chance for “martyrdom”.

JOHN MUNRO Buccleuch Street, Glasgow