Defence spending

I am delighted that Douglas Turner (Letters, 2 February) takes such an interest in the defence of the UK, which is unusual in someone whose main aim seems to be to undermine the Union.

It may surprise him to know that I am actually of the opinion that defence spending is far too low. We need to beef up all three services to deal with the problems being caused by Russia’s belligerence in the Ukraine.

Sad to say, but the occupation of Crimea was directly caused by moves to include Ukraine in the EU and with Russian fears of the former joining Nato, Russia was merely acting in self-defence.

Things are now getting out of hand and may spin out of the control of Putin, however much he seeks to pull the strings of the separatists.

It is wild cards such as the pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine and the Islamic extremists about whom I have written in the context of the threat they pose to Pakistan’s nuclear weapons which mean that we should not be contemplating any reductions in our conventional or nuclear armed forces. Quite the reverse.

It was, after all, fortuitous that the cuts the government was 
intending to make back in 
1982 were not in place when the Argentinians attacked the Falklands.

If they had been, the people there would now be subject to the dubious pleasure of being ruled by that bankrupt country with its questionable record of human rights.

Andrew HN Gray

Craiglea Drive

Edinburgh