Readers' Letters: World should be grateful for Donald Trump

After reading Scotsman Letters of 4 March, it seems fairly obvious none of the contributors had read the excellent article by Alastair GJ Stewart (Perspective, 3 March).

Among the many things attributed to President Donald Trump, “idiot” is not one of them. As Mr Stewart explains, there is method in the “madness” of his actions. He has galvanised all of Europe, not least our own Prime Minister, whom I disagree with on almost everything, but in this instance he has been given an opportunity to prove himself on the world stage.

If the US have people working in Ukraine when, not if, the deal re minerals is completed, there is no way military cover won’t be provided, and no way Vladimir Putin would attack as that would equate to an attack on the US directly – an act he knows would be catastrophic.

US President Donald Trump's intelligence has been underestimated, says reader (Picture: Carl Court - Pool/Getty Images)

Friday’s Oval Office scenes were unedifying, but nobody died – whereas, if the parties do not come together many will. Trump has started that unification. Let’s hope it gathers momentum, for all our sakes.

David Millar, Lauder, Scottish Borders

Talk to Russia

I’m amazed at the hysteria engulfing the UK/Europe elites and media after President Donald Trump resumed diplomacy with Russia to end the horrific war in Ukraine. Even John Swinney suggested Scottish troops could be in Ukraine this year.

This got me thinking about sociologist Max Weber’s “ethic of responsibility”, taking responsibility for the unintended but foreseeable consequences of one’s actions. It contrasts with an “ethic of conviction,” believing that one’s values justify one’s actions, whatever the consequences.

Have Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron thought through the consequences of flinging more money and weapons at Ukraine when their own economies and people are suffering, to say nothing of Ukraine’s ruined economy and hundreds of thousands of dead? Can’t they conceive of an alternative, like diplomacy?

Europe’s diplomatic skills have atrophied after 80 years of hiding behind America’s skirts so it resorts to empty rhetoric and threats. The EU’s “top diplomat” Kaja Kallas said she sees no point in engaging in talks with Russia. Is she Antony Blinken’s long-lost twin?

European elites have no ethic of responsibility, only the ethic of a conviction that Russia is “bad” so they must “stand with Ukraine”, irrespective of the situation on the ground or the consequences of prolonging the conflict. They cling to the fantasy that Ukraine can join Nato, which isn’t going to happen.

President Trump and Vice President JD Vance couldn’t have been clearer – Ukraine won’t join Nato and the US won’t give security guarantees. Ukraine is Europe’s problem. That terrifies European leaders.

Recently, US economist Professor Jeffrey Sachs told the European Parliament that Europe needs to develop a foreign policy and negotiate with Russia: “You’re going to be living with Russia for a long time, so please negotiate with Russia… The bombast and the Russophobia is not serving your security at all.”

If the UK/EU won’t talk to Russia, a superpower who happens to be their neighbour, they’ll lose relevance. If their intransigence leads to more death and destruction, they deserve to lose relevance.

Leah Gunn Barrett, Edinburgh

Europe, rearm

Nigel Lindsay suggests increasing defence spending will not “keep us safe” and will “lead to an arms race” (Letters, 3 March). It is clear Vladimir Putin only recognises military strength and thrives on the appeasement Mr Lindsay advocates by looking to “build a relationship” with the aggressor. That seems to be Donald Trump’s view as well. He condemned Keir Starmer’s summit at the weekend, wondering “what are they thinking” by taking on Putin to back a peace deal. This from a man “fawning over Putin”, as the Prime Minister implied in parliament, and refusing to provide military guarantees to support peace. Trump’s admiration for Putin is more baffling considering Republican voters with a preference overwhelmingly back Ukraine. A poll from YouGov/CBS on Sunday showed five times as many Republicans support Ukraine as back Russia. Trump would do well to remember that or it will come back to bite him. Only military strength matters where Putin is concerned and Europe needs to rearm quickly. We can’t rely on a misguided Trump.

Neil Anderson, Edinburgh

Sunk

Holyrood has no powers over foreign affairs yet the letters pages of The Scotsman are filled with comments over the situation in the Ukraine.

However, that results in a failure of the SNP to address the £130 billion debt arising from the decarbonisation of Scottish homes (your report, 31 July 2024).

If this debt is repaid by the taxpayer it represents an average bill of around £50,000 and it is unlikely the majority of taxpayers would obtain a bank loan to cover the cost.

How, then, does John Swinney plan to underwrite the £130bn debt – or is it the case that net zero has sunk without trace in Scotland ?

Ian Moir, Castle Douglas, Dumfries & Galloway

Time to reflect

Clearly Nicola Sturgeon (“Alpha males are upending the world”) is suffering from a severe case of myopia if she is unable to recognise a classic bully girl alpha female when looking in the mirror every morning while applying her face paint!

SR Wild, Edinburgh

Leave at 14

I’d welcome a lowering of the school leaving age to 14 – provided that: a) the pupil has achieved a good level of skills in arithmetic and English; and b) that a full-time attendance on an approved and supervised apprenticeship in a worthwhile skill is undertaken. Of course, a return to school must be mandatory if the latter arrangements fail.

If all that is complemented by raising the school starting age to a more mature seven I think we will see a renaissance of Scottish education and classrooms, filled with happy, hard-working children – and teachers.

Tim Flinn, Morningside, Edinburgh

Dump Parliaments

I read an article today yesterday on how Rishi Sunak thinks the funding for defence should primarily come from benefit cuts.

Once again we see very rich people trying to take money from people with very little, as if poor people are to blame for the country’s state of affairs. When the country needs defence money, should not the very wealthy give up the hundreds of millions they have no chance in their lifetimes of spending, to protect the country they claim to love.

Alternatively, why not close the devolved assemblies in Wales and Scotland, sack all the useless minions in them and use that money for the defence of the whole country? The amount wasted in these places would give us a world-class defence force.

A Thorpe, Dunfermline, Fife

Sick statistics

There were several interesting statistics in Wednesday’s Scotsman editorial and articles about Scottish GP numbers.

Firstly, the numbers of whole time equivalent GPs in Scotland has fallen for the third year in a row. Some 40 per cent of UK GP trainees are from overseas, while 28 per cent of international medical graduates who finished training in Scotland moved to another UK country and 18 per cent left the profession – 46 per cent in total.

One reason this has happened is that many, if not all, Scottish universities have capped the numbers of UK applicants to medical school. Places are given to International Medical Graduates as they pay huge course fees, so subsidising the universities. Lifting the cap and subsidising universities for lost income will lead to more UK applicants. The General Medical Council has already shown that UK medical graduates are more likely to work and stay in the UK.

Interestingly, the same morning an item on BBC Breakfast showed that becoming a doctor was among the most popular career pathways among young people. Perhaps we need to allow and encourage our own young people to train and work as doctors in Scotland.

(Dr) Gordon Scott, Edinburgh

Analyse more

Regarding your 27 February editorial on BP strategy (“Why BP's £4bn cut to net-zero spending does not mean they should be ostracised”), I am reminded Greens co-leader Lorna Slater does not understand business or arithmetic in her comments about the company’s “obscene profits”. The capital invested is even huger so the return on investment is barely above good bank savings accounts.Politicians love to spin, of course, but we need more analysis to ensure readers can assess the realities. I am not sure the majority put such statements in perspective,

Derek Sharp, Edinburgh

Right to know

We had a dedicated nurse working with the NHS at the hospital in Kirkcaldy until she complained she had to dress and undress in a changing room that had to be shared with a “trans” doctor . This ridiculous case came before a tribunal which seemed to require the presence of legal representation, the costs of which were being met from “the public purse”.

The case concerns a public hospital where medical and legal staff are paid from our taxes!. How on earth can it be decided to keep the amount of cash spent in this case secret?

Archibald A Lawrie, Kingskettle, Fife

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