Letters: This is a time for cool heads in Ukraine. We cannot afford a proxy war

Crucial energy dealer at these peace talks is President Erdogan. Nato likes him, as his TB2 Bayraktar drones have proved the simplest within the battle. He invoked the 1936 Montreux Conference, closing the Dardanelles strait to Russian warships. He condemned the invasion of Crimea. Russia likes Erdogan as he selected their S400 air defence system, Turkish airspace stays open, Antalya seashore resort is stuffed with Russian vacationers, Ankara didn’t be a part of within the financial sanctions and so they each struggle the Kurds.

John F Kennedy mentioned that “nuclear powers should avert these confrontations which carry an adversary to a selection of a humiliating defeat or a nuclear battle”. Appeasement has been a unclean phrase since 1938 (although Neville Chamberlain is, belatedly, being rehabilitated) however, if we’re to keep away from World Struggle Three the time has come for realpolitik.

It’s tough to ask Ukraine to make concessions when now we have witnessed genocide however Ukraine can not defeat a nuclear superpower with far superior forces. President Putin has boxed himself right into a nook and he wants a face-saving resolution. In every week Donetsk and Luhansk will vote on becoming a member of Russia. If that have been agreed, and Ukraine didn’t enter Nato or the EU, there could be a prospect of peace. The place is our media protection?

Putin has badly miscalculated on this battle, not least as a result of twenty first century drones destroy twentieth century tanks. However how may he reply to the surprising losses and financial injury? English tabloids, irresponsibly, speculate he may declare World Struggle Three tomorrow (Might 9) however consultants recommend he’ll declare full mobilisation and lengthen conscription.

Washington (within the type of the Council On Strategic Dangers assume tank) calculates Putin may launch a tactical nuclear weapon over a sparsely-populated space of Ukraine and so there have to be no escalation. Ignoring naïve Kyiv calls for for a no-fly zone was well timed. Whereas our media have given appreciable uncritical protection to Nato sending Chilly Struggle-era tanks, planes and helicopters to Ukraine, this has not provoked President Putin.

President Biden has signed off $3 billion of support.The hawkish Jake Sullivan, the Nationwide Safety Advisor, is insisting on probably the most trendy refined navy {hardware} being transported to the border. This fully undermines Nato as a defensive alliance. Equally unhelpful are Anthony Blinken and Lloyd Austin admitting they need Russian navy functionality diminished and welcoming a battle of attrition (as do the arms business and politicians mired in insoluble home points). It beggars perception they need sanctions to proceed after the battle ends and nonetheless a lot of the British media doesn’t criticise. President Biden desires regime change some days, however not others, and his feedback on responding to a chemical assault in variety have been bewildering.

Europe is a tinderbox and it’s a time for cool heads; not a proxy battle.

John V Lloyd, Inverkeithing.

* DAVID Pratt (“Why the invasion of Ukraine is barely simply starting to play itself out”, Might 1) notes the absence of actual diplomacy in Ukraine. Additional arming must be conditional on critical gives of a democratic vote (for instance, for dwelling rule) placing Vladimit Putin on the spot.
Boris Johnson talks about victory. At what bloody value? It’s peace we must be in search of.
Rev Bob Philip, Falkirk

FAILING RECORD OF THE SNP

WE all know the story of the coat of arms of Glasgow with its optimistic motto “Let Glasgow Flourish”.

Every image on that proud badge represents a tragic starting with a miraculously blissful ending via the intercessions of the town’s patron saint. There we see represented the tree that by no means grew, the chicken that by no means flew, the fish that by no means swam and the bell that by no means rang.

I’m stunned that our opposition events have by no means thought to conjure up a coat of arms to signify the failures of the SNP, all of which started with promise however resulted in misfortune.

On that coat of arms the motto would learn “Watch the guarantees of the SNP wither away”.

Amongst the symbols which might benefit prominence upon such a shameful protect could be the airport that by no means took off, the college curriculum that by no means succeeded in educating, the flagship hospital that by no means opened its doorways to sufferers and the ferries which have by no means sailed.

I point out these 4 areas as outstanding candidates for show upon my projected SNP’s flag of failure whereas in workplace, however I’m certain different readers may discover equally unattractive coverage failures to present them their place of demerit on the present Holyrood Authorities’s roll of dishonour.

It defies perception that our First Minister nonetheless stands so excessive within the polls when her document is shot via with such catastrophes .

Is the craving for independence so overpowering that it blinds her fanatical followers to her simple governmental defects?

Nicola Sturgeon is on document as saying that she must be judged on her document in authorities and significantly on training.

Sadly she has all through her tenure of workplace sounded extra like a damaged document together with her incessant harping on about one other independence referendum when the day job ought to have taken delight of place to show her competence to push her prime coverage.

Denis Bruce, Bishopbriggs.

MIND-BLOWING INCOMPETENCE
IN the longer term I’m sure the SNP’s ferry fiasco might be taught to college students in growing nations as the proper instance of how to not run a rustic.
With our taxes to pay for the best brains and financial and engineering experience recommendation cash can purchase, the SNP managed to screw the entire thing up and the paperwork regarding whom made the selections have now disappeared. There have been certainly few higher examples of mind-blowing incompetence from a celebration in energy within the civilised world. But an equally screwed-up and divided opposition and electoral system retains it in energy it doesn’t matter what it might appear.
A banana republic could be too embarrassed to manipulate on this manner.
Alexander McKay, Edinburgh.

BBC SCOTLAND’S BLIND SPOT

I WAS stunned to see the latest Ladies’s Six Nations rugby match between Scotland and England (in Scotland) was lined by BBC2 (England). I had not realised such a chosen English channel existed, however then all of it made sense.

If we stick a BBC (England) on to all of the TV and radio station output, that explains the shortage of Scottish content material or voices – all popping out of the £4 billion BBC finances, of which Scotland will get a lot lower than its per capita share.

After all there must be a BBC Scotland – how else may a Scottish prime information story be concerning the English Transport Minister’s harmful ramblings on a slimmed-down MOT, or the Scottish Tories’ plan for dependancy rehab (no questions requested about services, funding or staffing required)? However BBC Scotland has a blind spot; no inquiries to Alister Jack about levelling up funds, or connectivity funds (what occurred to the £20 billion he claimed he had?) or anything.

Then now we have “Prince of Wales” (related solely to English historical past) Charles telling us a couple of tree close to my birthplace of Auchinleck, courting to the time of Queen Elizabeth I. Did his mom plant it, then?

GR Weir, Ochiltree.

NATIONALISE THE WIND INDUSTRY

WIND farms, both underneath building or newly accomplished within the North Sea, all agreed to promote energy to the grid at low mounted costs underneath the Authorities’s Contracts for Distinction (CfD) scheme. Nonetheless, newly-completed wind farms are delaying taking over their CfDs as a result of they’ll earn a lot larger costs on the open market.

Moray East, an enormous wind farm off the Scottish coast, not too long ago reached full operational capability, however introduced that it was delaying taking over its CfD contract till 2023. Electrical energy customers will probably should pay this one wind farm an additional £500 million in its first 12 months of operations.

CfD contracts enable a substantial amount of flexibility on begin dates, with delays of as much as three years potential, so £500m may grow to be £1.5 billion. Bear in mind that is only for one wind farm with extra to come back. I by no means thought I’d say this however certainly it’s time to nationalise the wind business which is usually owned by international buyers.

Clark Cross, Linlithgow.