There is one aspect of the Falklands debacle Harry Reid does not consider ("Should we now bite the bullet on Falklands?" The Herald, December 27).
On January 6, 2003, the Ministry of Defence admitted for the first time that British ships carried nuclear weapons in the Falklands war. For decades, the MoD has refused to confirm or deny the presence of nuclear weapons at any particular time or place.
In November 1993, Malcolm Rifkind stated the Trident could fire a single missile "in order to convey an unmistakable message of Britain's willingness to defend her vital interests". In other words, we are prepared to actually use Trident, to use it first, and against a non-nuclear power.
British victory in the Falklands conflict was by no means guaranteed and some people at the time were openly advocating hat we incinerate the capital city of Argentine, in line with the infamous "Rifkind Doctrine". The situation has not changed, and the Rifkind doctrine still holds, as long as we deploy Trident.
Brian Quail,
2 Hyndland Avenue, Glasgow.
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