Assad’s relatives have been allowed to live comfortably in Spain

sir – Despite the Assad regime gassing women and children, some of Mr Assad’s relatives live in comfort in Spain allegedly using billions stolen from Syria over decades.

Why have Spain and the EU allowed them to live there? Jeremy Collis London SW19 sir – Dominic Raab, in an otherwise cogently argued piece on Syria (Comment, April 13), says he respects Jeremy Corbyn’s “pacifistic idealism”, adding: “He knows that demanding prior UN Security Council approval, before any military response, gifts President Putin a veto.” True; and therefore any respect is unwarranted. Hugh Hetherington Sandwich, Kent sir – Just as our political establishment got it totally wrong about Iraq and Libya, isn’t it highly likely that, since the Arab Spring in 2013, they have got it wrong yet again about Syria?

Bashar al-Assad’s father was a tyrant, but kept the country stable with numerous religions living side by side and a thriving tourist industry. His elder son was groomed as his successor but died in a car crash. Bashar is a weak individual and was never intended to succeed his father.

The West misread the Arab Spring as a democratic uprising when it was nothing of the sort. It was the beginning of a fundamentalist Islamic insurgency and was correctly read by Assad. His army completely overreacted to that situation and have done ever since.

Back in 2013, instead of helping Assad sort out his insurgency, our politicians chose to do the opposite. Dr Peter Grey Farthingsworth, Berkshire sir – Western civilisation is under attack, but the Russia/Syria situation is another example proving to those who despise our way of life that we won’t stand up for anything. Simon Warde Bognor Regis, West Sussex sir – The article by Lord Carey, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, regarding the plight of Christian refugees in the Middle East (April 13), has troubled me greatly. I did not know that our Government is party to such deadly discrimination.

This also highlights the total inadequacy of the UN, not only in allowing but promoting this discrimination.

I call upon our Government to do far more for the Christians or at least to treat them on an equal basis. Nick Parry Chester sir – Well said, Lord Carey. The West’s intervention in the Middle East has upset relations between Christians and Muslims, where they have co-existed for more than 1,000 years.

Where is the voice of the current Archbishop, Justin Welby, in holding the Government to account for their lack of support for Christian refugees? Sarah Strutt Ipswich, Suffolk