ON May 20, at the Methodist Church in St Owen’s street, the renewal of Britain’s Trident Missile System was debated by Jessie Newman and Rebecca Johnson, at the invitation of Hereford Peace Council. Mr Norman wishes to retain the UK’s Trident system because he believes that Trident is a deterrent, that bombing Hiroshima stopped the Japanese in their tracks and saved thousands of lives, and that Trident is all we have against the paranoia of Kim Yong-un, the revered leader of North Korea. Apart from Kim, he failed to let us know what or who Trident is deterring. He did not acknowledge that the blockade of Japanese ports and the horrendous firebombing of many cities had brought Japan to the point of capitulation, and the point of bombing Hiroshima and Nagasaki was principally to elevate America as the most powerful country in the world. He did not see that it would be easy for a missile defence system under UN auspices, to take out a North Korean missile loosed by some mad leader. He barely acknowledged that with modern technology, there is no such thing as a totally undetectable submarine. Can I ask you Mr Norman, would America and Britain have invaded Iraq if Sadam Hussein had had nuclear weapons? No. Then surely all countries should have them. That is the logical but mad conclusion of your position. Trident is expensive, illegal if used, outdated and the only reason why the UK hangs on to it is it gives us a seat at the UN Security Council with a concomitant power of veto. Hubris.

LYN RUSHBROOKE

Madley

Hereford