Sir, The drumbeats for war against Syria for an alleged chemical weapons attack are misplaced and wrong. We are in exactly the same position now as we were with Iraq in 2003.
A gung-ho US administration is scuppering UN weapons inspectors in order to get a pretext to attack Assad.
The motivation for attacking Syria has nothing to do with chemical weapons or concerns for human rights. It is being done by Britain, France and America to reassert hegemony over the Middle East and as a warning to Russia and China not to try to usurp America as the most powerful nation on Earth.
Attacking Assad also serves as a convenient distraction for Western leaders from the fact that the US and Europe are in the fifth year of the worst economic crisis since the great depression.
Living standards are plummeting yet the people who caused the crisis prosper while the rest have to pay through brutal cuts and austerity.
Attacking Assad allies this country with the al Qaida linked al-Nousra front. These people are the allies of Bin-Laden.
The Syrian crisis can only be resolved through negotiations.
If Assad did use chemical weapons then he should be indicted in The Hague.
Alan Hinnrichs. 2 Gillespie Terrace, Dundee.
Should reopen perfectly good mothballed line
Sir, While Network Rail’s idea to develop the Forth Bridge is imaginative, the 50,000 residents ofLevenmouth and the East Neuk might well prefer if they gave higher priority to their core business and reinstate the perfectly good mothballed line between Thornton and Leven. Allen Armstrong.
28 Viewforth, Buckhaven.
It was original main line
Sir, I refer to the letter from Tom Robertson (August 28) and confirm that the so-called spur line from Bridge of Earn to Ladybank, was in fact the original main line as the route via Kinross and Glenfarg was not opened until 1890, along with the Forth Bridge, resulting in the formation of Bridge of Earn Junction.
The route was double track throughout with intermediate stations at Abernethy, Newburgh and Collessie, but was reduced to single line in the mid 1930s, apart from the Newburgh/Glenburnie section, which survived as double track until May, 1969, when the North Fife line (Glenburnie Jct.) was closed.
The local passenger service operated between Perth and Ladybank until September 17, 1955.
Following the closure of the line through Glenfarg, Edinburgh/Perth/ Inverness trains were routed through Fife and use the original Ladybank/Perth line, joining the Stirling/Perth main line at Hilton Jct, south of Perth.
John McDonald. 14 Rosebery Court, Kirkcaldy.
Well done Boris for saying that
Sir, Sometimes the London Mayor Boris Johnson is portrayed as a buffoon, and people laugh at him quite often, but I heartily agree with what he is reported to have said about why we should tell the European bureaucrats to “stuff it” (The Courier, August 27).
Edward Heath signed Britain up to be a trading partner with the rest of Europe, now all these years down the line we find our lives are being run by a bunch of people sitting in their new very expensive building justifying their salaries by thinking up more rules and regulations to foist on the rest of us.
So Boris Johnson is to be applauded for his statement, and it is time the British Government actually did something about this problem.
June Reid. 12 Findhorn Street, Fintry, Dundee.
This won’t help with culture bid
Sir, It is great reading about the regeneration of Dundee, City of Culture bid, and I for one, look forward to its successful conclusion.
However, after seeing the “Discovering Tayside” creation in The Courier, it strikes me that the grotesque frontage of Dundee House, quite unwelcoming with its white painted brick, might benefit from a similar “facelift” before any judging panel for our culture bid ventures into the city.
Alex Cathro. Ancrum Road, Dundee.
A pleasant change
Sir, With regard to the “Disappointed with Tattoo” item in Thursday’s Courier, I too settled down in anticipation to watch the Edinburgh Military Tattoo on the television.
For me, there was music, colour, precision drilling, and obvious strict discipline with all who took part.
Plus, it was quite educational, depicting cultures from other countries.
A very pleasant change from running soldiers, and exploding guns and rifles, which, unfortunately, can be seen and heard every night of the week on any news channel.
Lamont Forbes. Andson Street, Friockheim.