Parliament predictably followed your line on IS (The Tablet, 27 September).
A clear case for public repentance of violent interventions would be more useful. We do indeed have a profound responsibility in this matter but to use the same bad medicine that has been destroying this part of the world for many years is wrong from both a practical and a moral point of view.
Air strikes give us the power to kill, remotely, but little more. No one expects them to be effective in the long term. The role we have had up to now puts us in the position where any use of force is a further recruiting call for Islamic extremists and could easily jeopardise the considerable efforts that we do make on diplomatic, humanitarian, economic and financial measures. If resources available for these more constructive approaches were commensurate with resources committed to the military we might achieve a great deal.
Our Parliament and Government could still make a positive statement to this effect, acknowledging our responsibility and extreme humanitarian concern. This would reflect what the people feel. Why can't they do it? Then we might also have to repent of the relentless promotion of arms sales to the region.
Martin Birdseye, Hounslow
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