Letter: The indefensible

I never expected to see a respected Scottish Government minister (John Swinney) accused of cowardice in Scotland's national newspaper (Letters, 23 October).

I cannot imagine that many people in Scotland would expect Mr Swinney to welcome the attack on the public services now planned by what is, in effect, a militant Tory government represented at Westminster by one solitary Conservative MP from north of the Border.

We now seem to be in a dangerous situation in Scotland, where the military cost of threatening the civilian population of a number of unidentified countries with nuclear weapons takes precedence over our national welfare.

None of the countries which have been envisaged as possible targets for Trident missiles has any reason to be hostile to Scotland.

Furthermore, nobody in Scotland seems to know why we are engaged in a long brutal war in Afghanistan, masquerading as defence, when the Taleban has neither the intention of attacking us, or the means to do so.

(Dr) David Purves

Strathalmond Road

Edinburgh