There are many more worthy causes to spend billions on

Readers discuss UK defence, degenerative conditions and more

The 65,000-tonne HMS Queen Elizabeth is one of two carriers being built at a combined cost of £6.2 billion (Dh31 billion) overhaul Britain's naval capabilities. Andy Buchanan / AFP

I refer to the article Launch of giant UK carriers show major shift in Britain's future approach to global conflict (August 31). The British Trident "deterrent" is a £100-billion bad joke when Israel now has a nuclear­-armed, state­-of­-the­-art fleet of five German-built submarines armed with missiles that can already blow certain British submarines out of the water at close range. Israel already has a fleet of five such nuclear-armed naval strike vessels assumed to be now patrolling the Mediterranean, the Gulf and the North Sea, all of them unseen.

Just one Israeli strike vessel could incinerate a Royal Navy Vanguard-class submarine armed with a long-range ballistic missile, which has no short-range capability, within seconds.

Secretary Michael Fallon knows full well that Britain must now rely on the United States for its nuclear defence, ­only no conservative government will admit it.

Britain is a Nato signatory to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and subject to inspection by the International Atomic Energy Agency, whilst Israel is one of the only United Nations members that refuses to sign either, and is, together with North Korea and Pakistan, a global nuclear threat that Britain is completely powerless to confront.

A plan to expend £100 billion for a replacement nuclear deterrent that will not be available until 2035 is £100 billion thrown down the drain. Theresa May knows it; the Scottish National Party knows it.

It is public money that should be spent on modern hospitals, cancer treatment and Britain’s road, rail and communications infrastructure, not thrown away on a discredited conservative political doctrine.

Anthony Bellchambers, UK

People must be held accountable for littering

In reference to your article 'Abu Dhabi Emaraty' campaign launched to clean up streets (August 12), I see a great deal of talk but little action regarding the clean-up of litter on the streets. The only way this initiative will work is by enforcing existing laws and heavy fines for breaking the rules. Other than an increase in the number of bins, I see little improvement. Those who litter seem to be oblivious to the damage they are doing. Drivers pull into parking spaces and dump ashtrays, paper cups or plastic bags on the streets with sheer impunity. The fact that litter, cigarette butts and empty cigarette packs are dumped in newly built flower beds is disgusting. Everybody seems to think that the Municipality is there to clean up their waste. The situation will not improve until offenders are penalised.

Jeremy Weeks, Abu Dhabi

Apply innovation to basic ailments

In reference to your article Innovation in science sector helps tackle rare diseases in Middle East (September 1), there are many other inventions for more basic ailments that would do us a world of good. For instance, if it were up to me, everyone would have to wear a foot orthotic starting at the age of 10 to minimise wear-and-tear from a lifetime of walking and running.

Dennis Kiper, USA

Zip-line plans excite, but more safety explanations would be good

In reference to the article, Ras Al Khaimah flying high into the record books with 'superhero' 2km zip-line (August 29), I think I saw this being installed in November between Dibba and RAK.

Mohammed Khalid, Dubai

Looking forward to it, but a little more explanation about safety measures would not go amiss.

Musana Emmah, Dubai

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