Donald Trump’s dangerous antics over Iran are beyond reckless

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Donald Trump has chosen to act over Iran (Getty)

An element of political and economic stability has been resumed, albeit temporarily, in the UK, following the Conservatives’ landslide victory; moreover, a government not led by Jeremy Corbyn.

What is worrying is the juvenile but dangerous antics of Donald Trump. Most people in the west have, until now, never heard of Qassem Soleimani, although his activities were well known throughout the Middle East. President Trump’s decision to kill this “bad guy”, on the basis of allegedly planned attacks on American diplomats and service members in the Iraq region, is at best reckless.

Hopefully, the intelligence used to support this killing was not derived from the same source as the one used to invade Iraq in 2003. America, or more importantly, its leader, needs to refrain from flexing its military muscle abroad, and be mindful of compelling historical reasons not to do so. The latest reminders include Korea, Cambodia, Afghanistan, Libya and Iraq.

Presidents and overinflated egos often part company, and to quote another well known American, there will hopefully be a conscious uncoupling on 3 November this year.

Christopher Learmont-Hughes Caldy, Merseyside

The UK must act

Britain must unequivocally distance itself from the US drone strike that assassinated Iranian general Qassem Soleimani and condemn it out of hand.

How many lives will subsequently be lost because of this one act of stupidity? Just how far will the American people allow this apparent delinquent look upon the world as his recreational playground?

William Burns Edinburgh

A human disaster

As a longtime supporter of various environmental organisations I am surely not alone in feeling sadness at the way warnings about climate change have been repeatedly sidelined.

For many, many years I have been pushing environmental awareness with little success. Most people have been content to at best nod sagely then carry on as usual, reassured no doubt, by official complacency. Ever since the Industrial Revolution, humankind has been on a binge of reckless consumption, exploiting the natural world in the guise of civilisation. Nature has absorbed our excesses, tolerated our destructive habits and watched our burgeoning populations.

Now, with depressing predictability, nature is beginning to fight back. The reaction of those unfortunate residents forced from their homes in South Australia is as one would expect anywhere, and our hearts go out to them. This, however, is just the beginning.

Extreme weather events have been predicted for many years. It is easy, when viewed from afar, to continue to not take the situation seriously, yet this is a global phenomenon. It will get worse and everyone, everywhere will be affected.

I predict, however, for the majority of humankind that, until the flames threaten our own homes, the flood water laps our own front doors and the inevitable shortages reach our own lifestyles, any action necessary to avert total disaster will be too little, too late.

Steve Edmondson Cambridge

A flight tax

I try hard not to fly, but with family abroad – including in Australia – that’s not entirely possible. I’m hoping that in addition to a complete reappraisal by the Australian government of its approach to global heating, one of the outcomes of the devastating bushfires will be a massive environmental restoration programme that people can pay into in order to offset their flights.

In the absence of a carbon tax, maybe make it a condition of landing for incoming flights and take-off for Australian citizens.

Patrick Cosgrove Bucknell, Shropshire

Ticket issues

Another year, another rail fare increase.

I accept that a good service costs money and the user should pay their share of costs.

Sadly it seems more about revenue maximisation as Simon Calder’s article points out.

Earlier this week I went to London, the operator was running a weekend timetable but charging weekday fares.

The bus company was running a weekend schedule and concession fares were available!

You couldn’t make it up.

Hugh Woodhouse Brighton

Spin to win

I see Dominic Cummings is quoted as saying “…We do not care about trying to ‘control the narrative’ and all that New Labour junk” (“Dominic Cummings calls for ‘weirdos and misfits’ to apply for Downing Street jobs”, 3 January).

Well that’s about the most fiendishly clever piece of spin I’ve ever heard.

Dr Richard House Stroud, Gloucestershire