Letters - August 3, 2017

Will politicians ever learn lessons of war?

Over the weekend, it was revealed that as many as 25 per cent of the total casualties of British and Commonwealth Forces of the Great War occurred at Passchendaele.

If this is true, then this is nothing but a damnation on Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig and the British Government under Herbert Asquith and David Lloyd George.

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At the age of 73, I still fail to understand how the British people could accept such losses.

But I suppose, it was a sign of the times, when the British people were treated like cultivated mushrooms – ‘kept in the dark and fed on manure’ – especially with the Press being heavily censured. It begs the question, is the British press STILL heavily censured in 2017?

If technology had been available during the world wars, as it is now, where actual scenes are screened ‘live’ into the sitting rooms of the masses, people would not have tolerated this.

This can be confirmed by the Vietnam War – and every other armed conflict since.

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Over the last few weeks, I have been reading the book written by General H.R. McMaster, US National Security Adviser. It is titled Dereliction of Duty: Johnson, McNamara, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the lies that led to Vietnam.

Dereliction Of Duty is a stunning analysis of how, and why, the United States became involved in a disastrous war in South East Asia.

McMaster pinpoints the decisions that got the United States into the morass and reveals who made these decisions and the motives behind them, disproving the theories of other historians.

This book, I am led to believe, is now a standard reference book at the US Military Academy – West Point – on the pitfalls of politicians being ‘hand-in-glove’ with military manufacturers.

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The Whitehall Generals and Admirals could do well reading this book, as well as those in the Palace of Westminster before engaging in further armed conflicts!

Norman Tomlinson

Address supplied

POLITICS

Delivering on our election pledges

In the first two months in control at County Hall, Fylde Conservatives have pushed through the pledges given at the elections.

One of the first acts by County Coun Ed Nash (St Annes South) working with County Coun Tim Ashton (Lytham) was to have the parking situation in St Annes and Lytham looked at again, following the former Labour administration’s dismissal of a £54k study supported by local members.

The new portfolio holder will be visiting soon in person to see what more can be done to resolve an ever growing problem.

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County Coun Peter Buckley (St Annes North) newly appointed as portfolio holder, has announced a programme of re-opening local libraries shut by Labour, foremost being Freckleton Library supported by County Coun Paul Rigby (Fylde South) who also hails the decision to re-establish several of the rural bus routes closed under Labour.

Our next task will be looking at the state of roads and the portfolio holder has already visited to push forward the long awaited link at Moss Road.

Fylde suffered neglect by the Labour administration whose priorities went to their areas.

County Councillors 
Tim Ashton 
Peter Buckley

Ed Nash 
Paul Rigby

MEDIA

Diana was loved - let her rest in peace

Am I alone in finding the current media coverage of Diana Princess of Wales to be offensive and in poor taste?

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Twenty years after her tragic death we are being bombarded by lurid editorial features in the national press.

The latest hyena to join the pack devouring her reputation is Channel 4.

It has purchased tapes of Diana’s private conversations with her former voice coach Peter Settelen and intends to publish them in a documentary.

He should be ashamed of himself for profiting from selling these tapes, which reveal intimate details of her marriage to the Prince of Wales and her life after her divorce.

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Princes William and Harry have recently bared their ‘childhood’ souls in the media, while it is understandable that they wished to make their personal feelings known to the public – was it wise to do so?

They must be very hurt by having their parents’ personal and intimate details revealed to all and sundry.

Do the public really wish to have her memory besmirched by the gutter press and media? I certainly do not.

Prince Charles is certainly not blameless in this matter, his marital affair with Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, being the cause of Diana’s divorce.

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Yet he must be deeply hurt by William and Harry making little or no reference to him in their memories of life with their mother.

To now reveal these tapes on television will only add more sorrow for all of them.

Diana was very much loved by the nation. Her kind compassionate empathy, together with her many good charitable works, made her truly a Princess of the people for the people.

Let her rest in peace.

Cyril Olsen

Address supplied

SAFETY

Mobility scooters need speed rules

Just a line to ask why mobility scooters are not governed by some sort of ruling regarding speed, especially in busy areas such as towns.

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The number of times I have been forced to try and move out of the way of some of these maniacs is ridiculous. They seem to think that they don’t need to slow down. Pedestrians take their life in their hands when these people are about.

All I ask is that they slow down before someone is seriously injured or worse!

Anon

Via email

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