Letter to the I: France and Security Letter

Robert Jolly's letter seemed to recall the stereotype of the French as 'cheese-eating surrender monkeys' most unfairly.  Far from being timid in terms of security, the French have actually been quite active and forward thinking in recent years.  The French launched Operation Serval, the intervention in Mali against Islamists in 2013, thus saving Mali from collapsing.  To follow this up the French have embarked on Operation Barkhane, a multi country anti-terror operation across west Africa, which is ongoing.  It should also be noted that the election of President Emmanuel Macron has brought in perhaps the most critical speaking Western leader against the scheming of Putin's Russia.

Regards

Zachary Barker

Letter to the I: Democracy in North Korea

Ian Birrell's article on North Korea made an interesting reference to technology starting to breach that isolated country.  It is true that a sort of secret middle class is developing in North Korea that has access to smart phones and is linked to a black market.  Hillary Clinton made reference in her memoirs to the US State Department supporting pro-democracy activists with such technology.  What is to say the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office cannot do the same?  Sadly this US State Department initiative is threatened by President Trump's budget cuts.  If such initiatives are supported, perhaps the North Koreans will have the opportunity to tear down their rotten system from the inside.

Regards

Zachary Barker

Letter to the I: Women in Afghanistan

I would like to thank Kim Sengupta for his thoughtful article "West Must Not Fail Women on Afghanistan again".  His reference to the anti-war left's opposition to our involvement puts them with interesting company.  The UKIP right wing and the American Alternative Right under Steve Bannon are also against Western involvement in Afghanistan.  But as Mr Sengupta wisely pointed out, there are consequences to inaction as well as action when it comes to our footprint abroad.  The US and the UK leaving Afghanistan to burn will just make Afghans mistrust the West even more.

Regards

Zachary Barker

Letter to the I: British Monarchy PR letter

With regards to Emilie Lamplough's letter, I believe she takes the British Monarchy's PR moves too much at face value.  The British Royal Family need to constantly emphasise how relatable they are to our lives to ensure the very survival of their institution.  If they didn't do this we the public would be left to wonder how such an arcane institution is still relevant to our lives.  Queen Victoria was hardly down-to-earth, since she had a scornful attitude to women's rights and immodestly took the title of Empress of India.  She only took this title because her daughter was made Empress of Germany.

Regards

Zachary Barker

Letter to the I: Troops in Afghanistan

With regards to Valerie Crews' letter I beg to differ with her on our involvement in Afghanistan.  Very simply; we broke it, we bought it.  It is unfair on the Afghans to give them a chance of freedom only to snatch it away. For the first time women are going to university.  For the first time their culture is starting to flourish away from Taliban censorship.  It is disingenuous to say that we want our troops to leave because of current Afghan civilian casualties.  If the Taliban takeover the country again there will be plenty more of them.

Regards

Zachary Barker

Letter to the I: Bill Clinton Letter

With regards to Timothy Stroud's letter, I believe the Clintons are unfairly blamed for US President Donald Trump's election.  Former US President Bill Clinton's important achievements are too quickly dismissed because of the indiscretions of his private life.  Bill Clinton's terms had the highest levels of sustained post-war economic growth, with a healthy budget surplus as a bonus.  Clinton also managed to pass an Assault Weapons Ban.  His timely humanitarian intervention in Kosovo also saved many lives.  Trump won much the same way as the Trump Organisation won success.  This is by making promises that are too good to be true, then using deception to get out of delivering on them.

Regards

Zachary Barker

Letter to the I: Democracy Letter

With regard to Kenneth R. Jarrett's letter, I believe he is wrong to lay the blame for the rise of UKIP and the Far Right on the "political class".  The hard truth is that we hold up the political class with our votes and all too often our apathy.  Voter apathy and unwillingness on the public's part to stand for election where veteran politicians have failed is what has caused our democracy to "wither on the vine".  We cannot teach our children to take responsibility for their actions if we do not do the same.

Regards

Zachary Barker