Nato definitely still has a purpose in the world

Mary Dejevsky, as usual, makes her point quite compellingly in her recent article.

As she says, the purpose of the Nato invasion of Afghanistan was primarily to deny safe haven to al-Qaeda, and never nation building or a defences of the rights of women, as many now seem to think.

But to see that Nato still has a purpose, simply ask the citizens of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania.

Rachael Padman

Newmarket

Not the first time in history, US foreign policy is driven by domestic concerns. Observe President Joe Biden's speech justifying the fast exit from Afghanistan: short emphatic phrases, narrowed eyes; if he'd said “America First” (which he meant), he could have been mistaken for his predecessor, Donald Trump.

Biden is trying to appeal to part of the US population in order to stop the return of Trump or one of his ilk, when they electorally compete with Biden or his successor as Democrat candidate.

Cole Davis

Norwich

The US leaving Afghanistan has obviously caused trauma on a grand scale. Twenty year later the poor people of Afghanistan are no better off. In most part, it seems that the US was not overly concerned with improving their lives.

Kate Travers

Sutton

President Joe Biden swears revenge on the suicide bombers of Isis-K. How will he “make them pay”?

Dr John Doherty

Stratford-upon-Avon

The culture secretary Oliver Dowden says of London: “Walk past the Jazz Cafe and Brixton Academy and you’ll witness the welcome sight of a queue running outside the doors for the first time in months.” That “sight” would be welcome if we could yet all feel safe. How many in that queue were masked? How many had been double vaccinated? How distanced were they?

OK, none of those is now compulsory but that is academic. Dowden continues: “It’s on all of us to get out there and support this great city in the run-up to Christmas.” No, Mr Dowden, it absolutely is not. It is absolutely not “on us” to put our health at risk.

I miss the theatre, ballet and concerts as much as anyone but the risk of attending those indoor events and possibly sharing that indoor space with unvaccinated people is something I take very seriously: in order to protect the NHS, to protect me and to protect my family. A little more practical realism, however unpalatable, and less gung-ho please, Mr Dowden.

Beryl Wall

London