Letters | 7 August 2010

Neocon Coughlin

Sir: Con Coughlin’s article (‘How we lost the war’, 31 July) criticising David Cameron’s supposed disenchantment with our bogged-down campaign in Afghanistan confirms him as the Henry Newbolt of our day. He does not see this conflict in terms of a cost-benefit analysis in relation to the security and wealth of the United Kingdom, but in terms of moral obligation — ‘a mission’. But why should Cameron, as the Prime Minister of a Conservative and Liberal-Democrat coalition in 2010, be morally bound by a commitment unwisely entered into in 2001 by Tony Blair in the aftermath of 9/11?

Surely Coughlin might at least acknowledge that our present predicament in Afghanistan owes its origins to Washington’s panic after the destruction of the World Trade Center. What could be a more disproportionate response to the destruction of two skyscrapers and fewer than 3,000 killed than invading an entire country like Afghanistan? And can Coughlin really believe that even by 2014 there can be a strong and stable political regime in Afghanistan, or Afghani armed forces professionally and morally capable of coping with the Taleban?

Correlli Barnett
Norwich



Hell is another person

Sir: When I read the excellent but shocking article ‘My Gatwick hell’ (17 July), I noticed with some curiosity that the byline bore my own name. I did not recall writing it — though I am increasingly forgetful these days — so I concluded that years ago some other Murrays had named their baby Alex without checking with me first and that he had grown up to be a journalist, as I used to be. I shrugged and thought no more of it — though I did have to explain to one or two Spectator readers who were curious.

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However, after reading the charming follow-up letter from my former colleague James Srodes, who attributes the author’s ordeal to me and reminisces about some characteristics he claims to have observed in me, I feel an urge to publicly declare, in the best tradition of Spartacus, ‘I am Alex Murray’.