My uncles fought in the First World War – they would be ashamed to be British today
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I am nearly 80 years old and I have never felt more ashamed of being British. Just giving token support to the Ukrainian people is pitiful; they have needed so much more. To watch a small nation trying to become a democracy be destroyed makes me weep.
All the rhetoric about one inch of Nato soil is meaningless. Putin is a gambler and the only thing he will understand is the prospect of seeing a dozen beautiful Russian cities flattened, and turned into a desolate nuclear wasteland. No one wants a nuclear war, but being timid will not prevent one.
I had two uncles who fought in the First World War; one was a pilot and the other was gassed in the trenches. The latter joined up with the Australian army in the Second World War and was held prisoner of war in Singapore. They both had the courage to take on the unknown and never complained. They too would be ashamed to be British today.
Christopher Darcel
Lincoln
Amber lines to red
The lethal Russian assault on a Ukrainian military training facility just 15 miles from the Polish border demonstrates how Putin’s crude targeting so close to a Nato ally will inevitably lead to an incursion that will test Biden’s “not an inch to be taken” pledge to his partners.
Already, the suspicion that chemical weapons are being seriously considered by the increasingly desperate Russian leader is throwing up more amber lines.
Either a military error, similar to the shooting down of a US jet over Cuba at the height of the 1962 missile crisis, or the direct deployment of chemical weapons on civilians to breach the defences of Odesa or Kyiv, would likely turn all these amber lines deep red.
Paul Dolan
Northwich, Cheshire
Another level of disgust
Following the Conservatives Party’s callous abandonment of the Dubs Amendment – the popular humanitarian measure passed in 2016 to support and resettle unaccompanied migrant children – I thought it would be impossible to be more disgusted by its attitude towards desperate, vulnerable people.
Then came Ukraine. Where Johnson is concerned, and as we’ve learnt to Britain’s international shame, there is always another level of disgust.
Amanda Baker
Edinburgh
Countries can make mistakes
It’s refreshing to hear some common sense over rejoining the EU. Brexit has put the UK in grave jeopardy because Scotland voted heavily to remain. When it has a referendum, whether or not Westminster tries to prevent it, there’s a good chance Scotland will want to break away from the UK and join the EU in its own right. And of course, Northern Ireland will follow Scotland’s lead.
So what will Mr Johnson do then? Will he invade Scotland as Putin is doing to Ukraine? I have tried to speak to my MP to ask him. It does not matter if one voted in or out – no one voted for the mess we are in now and not one of the promises made have been achieved.
Some of our friends voted for Brexit but now have gone silent about it when previously they were vocal; others were outright rude and aggressive. Some have apologised to me for voting Brexit and said they were sold a pup and others are sticking to their opinion, making excuses and blaming the government. But they have no opinions on how to get out of the mess Brexit has caused.
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I am 87 now, and I have often criticised my country; I always felt I had the right to do this in a so-called democracy, as at least I paid my taxes properly and was in the top 2 per cent of taxpayers, so I was told. But for the first time in my life, I am ashamed to be English.
We have squandered wonderful advantages and some of the global respect we once had, but not all. If we admit a mistake, rejoin the EU, show good intentions and join the euro we could find ourselves, once again, being taken notice of in the world. We could get our country back to where it was, and set an example to other nations that countries can make mistakes but it takes some strength to admit to it.
Why not take the bull by the horns and start up a European party of individual MPs not subjected to the whip? There has to be a way out of the situation we are in but it will take brains, foresight, courage and honesty for change to come.
Donald Marriott
Peterborough
BA.2 Omicron sub-variant
I think it’s obvious what is causing the surge in Covid cases and hospitalisations. I predicted it one month ago, after looking at deaths in Denmark and the sudden dropping of all mitigation measures, during a pandemic.
The BA.2 Omicron sub-variant is globally dominant now and has caused havoc in Europe, with much higher case rates than previous waves but only slightly higher death peaks than last January. So it’s not a surprise to me or anyone who has been watching Covid case rates in other countries.
Liz Hallworth
Cambridgeshire
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