Defence priorities
SIR – Doug Littlejohns (Letters, January 15) points out that the weakness of our conventional forces undermines the credibility of our nuclear deterrent.
Observing that the Polish foreign minister, speaking on behalf of Nato, as well as the EU foreign minister and retired US army general David Petraeus have all indicated that use of tactical nuclear weapons by Russia should be met with overpowering conventional force, one must be concerned that our Trident ballistic missile submarine budget over the next 10 years exceeds that of any one of the three armed services.
This budget might be better employed converting the Trident submarines so that they have a guided weapons role (emulating the USS Ohio class SSGNs), thereby significantly enhancing Nato’s conventional force strength while leaving Nato nuclear deterrence to America.
Robert Forsyth
Former nuclear submarine captain Deddington, Oxfordshire SIR – Russia’s Poseidon nuclear weapon appears to be in its production phase (“First batch of nuclear tsunami torpedoes are ready, says Russia”, report, January 17).
It is extraordinary that this and other highly expensive updates and new nuclear systems should still be seen as so important to Vladimir Putin when his conventional forces, performing so abysmally in Ukraine, are short of weapons, logistic support and basic equipment. Putin’s focus is highly destabilising and has in part led to the rapid growth in the number and types of Chinese nuclear weapons, and America speeding up its Nuclear Posture Review.
The international agreements we had in place to reduce numbers of warheads and increase trust have been steadily eroded. As a matter of urgency America, Russia and other nuclear powers need to return to the table on issues of arms limitation and ways of decreasing tension.
Admiral Lord West of Spithead (Lab) London SW1
SIR – The shipping of Russian oil to Britain via India (report, January 15) surely requires immediate action by the Government.
We are told that India is still being given overseas aid, despite partaking in activities that harm our nation. How can this situation be allowed to continue? Decisive action should be taken that demonstrates that we will not support such double standards by so-called friendly countries.
Peter Mackay
Bridgwater, Somerset