Readers' Letters: World War Three is not just around the corner

Things may look bad but Armageddon isn’t imminent, says reader. Probably.

Reading Professor Robert Dover’s article “The West is already at war with Russia” (Perspective 12 December), it’s easy to fear nuclear Armageddon is just around the corner.

Just because an aggressive Russia is intent on reacquiring Ukraine by force does not mean World War Three. For Vladimir Putin, Nato is the aggressor that crushed the Soviet empire that only 35 years ago stretched from Vladivostok to Prague, arguing that historically large swathes of Eastern Europe are Russian, including Ukraine. His mind is still coloured by the Nazi occupation of Russia and he calls Volodymyr Zelensky a Nazi occupier.

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It is dangerous scaremongering to claim a “large scale war” involving China, North Korea and Iran joining Russia is “not far off”. There is, however, a cyber war whereby groups acting for Putin’s regime are attacking Western institutions.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin at a meeting in Moscow this week (Picture: Sergei KARPUKHIN / POOL / AFP)Russia's President Vladimir Putin at a meeting in Moscow this week (Picture: Sergei KARPUKHIN / POOL / AFP)
Russia's President Vladimir Putin at a meeting in Moscow this week (Picture: Sergei KARPUKHIN / POOL / AFP)

There are also attacks on undersea communication cables, including severing the link between Shetland and the Faroe Islands. UK resources are stretched to combat such threats but we allowed our medium range Cruise missiles to be used on Russia, a move that had little tangible effect other than to ratchet up Putin’s resolve further.

Where I would agree with Prof Dover is that such escalation is dangerous. Putin’s response was to fire into Ukraine hypersonic ballistic missiles which are more deadly and harder to intercept than the British Storm Shadow cruise missile. He was making a point, but ultimately is not interested in retaking all the Soviet empire by force, rather by politically destabilising countries. Hungary, Moldova, Georgia and Slovakia are experiencing a doctrine of division through fear.

With Donald Trump putting America first, Nato is in danger of collapsing and creating Russian proxy states in Eastern Europe that weakens the West. That’s Putin’s goal.

Neil Anderson, Edinburgh

Safe at sea

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Marjorie Ellis Thompson (Letters, 12 December), responding to my own letter of the previous day, makes some valid points. I do understand that she is is not the only Scot who is concerned about Trident. But our nuclear subs are indeed an effective deterrent to Russia attacking our island nation.

She need not be worried that the cost of Trident has affected the size of the Royal Navy’s surface fleet. The Royal Navy has a surface fleet of around 70 warships plus our two aircraft carriers, one of which is always at sea, with a screen of Type 45 destroyers, Type 23 frigates and an Astute class diesel powered sub, equipped with Tomahawk missiles, plus a supply ship.

Fortunately, Labour’s Minister of Defence John Healey, unlike Rachel Reeves and Angela Rayner, is focused on keeping this country safe. You can feel safe too Ms Ellis Thompson.

Doug Morrison, Tenterden, Kent

Wasted resources?

I would like to assure Dr J Alastair Innes (Letters, 13 December) that there are some, possibly not many, NHS inefficiencies which, at first sight, I would definitely attribute to poor management.

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I recently attended the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh for an Exercise Tolerance Test Treadmill/ECG. My appointment had a preamble of measuring my height, weight and blood pressure. This involved four staff whom I shall refer to as A, B, C and D.

A came to locate me and take me to the “consulting room”, which was an open area off a corridor, ask me for name and date of birth for ID purposes, measure my height and call out the result to D, who was standing operating a laptop on a pedestal to input the data. I moved to a set of scales to have B read off my weight to D, I moved off the scales and C then took my blood pressure and read the results to D.

The conclusion I can arrive at is that A was gainfully employed for 50 per cent of my attendance time, B & C 25 per cent each and D for 75 per cent. My basic time and motion analysis says the work could have been carried out equally effectively with at most two staff or 50 per cent of those who were there – as, I assume some training and skill is required to accurately take blood pressure, and D, unless reading a height gauge and a set of scales requires some specific skill set which neither A nor D possessed.

Neil Robertson, Liberton, Edinburgh

Spend wisely

Dr J Alastair Innes’s prescription for the ailing NHS is “to strictly separate acute and elective work, ideally at different sites”. It is only a few months since the SNP government warned of a black hole in the nation’s finances. To help balance the books they then cancelled much of the NHS building programme, including National Treatment Centres, which are exactly what Dr Innes has correctly prescribed.

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Now, thanks to the UK Labour government’s recent budget, the Scottish Government is awash with additional funding. Surely we can expect to be told about the immediate restoration of the National Treatment Centre programme?

Hamish Johnston, Balloch, Inverness

Taxi for Neil!

How noble of Health Secretary Neil Gray to say the buck will stop with him if the NHS waiting times targets for 2026 are not met. When the inevitable failure occurs will it be taxi for Neil or a free hurl home in a government limo?

Andrew Kemp, Rosyth, Fife

Goal is money

As an increasingly disenchanted football supporter, I'm concerned by the sheer volume of money – and indeed debt – involved in the modern game. As a proud Red Lichtie, I support Arbroath, my hometown team, who have it written in their constitution that no debt, however small, is countenanced.

The recent selection of Saudi Arabia as the host nation of the 2034 World Cup has appalled me, for moral as well as sporting reasons. Quite apart from the human rights issues, not least in their treatment of the LGBTQ community, there is the sneaking suspicion that FIFA sells the privilege to the highest bidder. In short, money talks, persuasively.

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Saudi Arabia is five stadia short of the requirement to stage the competition and if recent hosts Qatar are anything to go by, cheap labour will be used, with the grave risk of the consequent loss of life.

Of course, I will always support Scotland in their efforts to qualify for the finals of the World Cup. I just regret that the 2034 finals are to be held, in such circumstances, in Saudi Arabia.

Ian Petrie, Edinburgh

Commit to kids

The recent revelations regarding the SNP’s commitment to replace 621 axed teachers (“Concern Over Teacher Replacement Pledges”, 13 December) should alarm all of us who care about the future of education in Scotland. With councils now wavering in their commitments, we find ourselves at yet another crossroads where promises risk being unfulfilled, leaving our students to pay the price.

Winston Churchill aptly stated, “The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty.” Yet, Scotland's education system faces a challenge that requires immediate and unwavering action. Instead of embracing the opportunity to improve our schools by fully committing to these teacher replacements, the SNP government appears to be falling back on the age-old practice of political rhetoric over actionable responsibility.

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The lack of accountability from both the Scottish Government and local councils is troubling. Education should be a non-negotiable priority, as it directly impacts our children’s futures. Yet, as local councils question their capacity to replace the teachers lost to budget cuts, we are left with uncertainty and a concerning trend toward declining educational standards. It is vital that the promises made are backed up by financial and logistical support to ensure every child can access quality education.

Moreover, this situation highlights a wider systemic issue within the SNP’s governance strategy, which seems to favour short-term gains over long term sustainability. Education should not be seen merely as a statistic but as the foundation upon which we build our nation’s future.

If our leaders are serious about transforming education, they must move beyond empty promises and ensure fiscal responsibility that aligns with their commitments. Our children deserve to see real progress, not just the flawed narratives of political assurance. Let us demand the commitment we need now, for the sake of our students, educators, and future of Scotland.

Alastair Majury, Dunblane, Stirling

Protect truth

Volha Radzivonava (your report, 12 December) is the latest in a long line of journalists around the world who have been jailed – or worse – for reporting the facts.

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While we should be grateful for the free press we enjoy here, we can never take that for granted and should do all that we can to support it. In this age of social media and widespread disinformation, the Fourth Estate has never been more important. We must stand up for journalists and support quality journalism to hold those in power to account and report the facts.

The alternative is not a positive for society, as we increasingly see across the globe. Let's heed the sacrifices made in aid of the truth by people brave enough to stand up for what is right and factual. Journalism matters and we should support it. Perhaps something to consider as you plan your gifts for loved ones this Christmas.

J Lewis, Edinburgh

Write to The Scotsman

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