WHEN I served in both Iraq and Afghanistan more than 10 years ago, it was clear then that a humanitarian crisis was looming. Refugees of conflicts that the UK has been at the heart of have been shunned and shamed as greedy migrants rather than victims of war and terror. At the heart of this shaming are the elements of the mainstream media, the Tory Government and all those who refuse to acknowledge the horror of a parent having to decide between the perils of a boat journey that could mean their child’s death and staying to face the continued terror on land.

Many warnings were given regarding the ineffective actions in securing stability in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere and now this will come back to haunt all of humanity.

So what is the UK Government policy for dealing with refugees? Italy, Greece – a country innocent in any involvement in these illegal wars – and many others are taking our responsibility on their shoulders.

The Government shirks its responsibilities and even worse, attempts through disgraceful propaganda to suggest ulterior motives for human beings in dire straits simply trying to stay alive.

Hugh Moodie,

12 Bryce Avenue, Rothesay, Isle of Bute.

THE image of the three-year-old Syrian refugee, Aylan Kurdi, lying dead on a Turkish beach is truly shocking (“Anger as body of refugee boy, 3, found on beach”, The Herald, September 3). The UK Government has lost sight of the fact that this is a humanitarian crisis like no other since the end of World War Two.

It is too important an issue to be left solely to politicians. We need civic Scotland and the churches to speak out. The situation is intolerable and shames us all.

Roddy Mac Donald.

1 Glenmount Place, Ayr.

THERE is no doubt that the UK should be taking in far more refugees (“Cooper: Time to do more to help migrants”, The Herald, September 2).

David Cameron and Government ministers keep claiming that the refugees at Calais are “economic migrants” drawn to the UK by all the jobs being created here. So is it meant to be a coincidence that most of them come from countries in the middle of civil wars or insurgencies in which all sides are targeting civilians (Syria, Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Libya, Nigeria); dictatorships (for example, Eritrea, the North Korea of Africa); or countries where they face severe prejudice and attacks (Roma from Kosovo)?

Far from being a favourite destination, the UK has more than 10 per cent of the population of the EU, but only got four per cent of the more than 250,000 asylum applications from non-EU applicants to EU countries in the first four months of 2015.

Those asylum seekers given any benefits get just £36.95 a week. Some are certainly housed in hotels or private rented accommodation, just as some homeless people born here are. The reason is that since from Margaret Thatcher, on governments sold off council houses without providing any budget for replacement. There’s nowhere else to put them.

Overall welfare spending per person in the UK is 12th among EU countries when measured in terms of purchasing power of benefits paid. Germany and France are among those who spend more. The UK rejects around 60 per cent of applications to remain by non-EU migrants or refugees.

For decades the UK has been sending genuine refugees facing torture, jail without trial or death if returned back to those fates – including, for instance black Zimbabwean supporters of the MDC opposition to Robert Mugabe.

It’s time politicians stopped pandering to myths and prejudice against refugees and faced up to the reality that most of these people are genuine refugees who need help from some of the richest countries in the world – and that Britain is not taking more than its share of refugees, but far less than its share as the seventh richest country in the world.

Duncan McFarlane,

Beanshields,

Braidwood,

Carluke.

TODAY is a turning point in the UK. Our Prime Minister shirks the responsibility to help people in desperate trouble that are fleeing from a terrible war. They are decried as swarms of migrants and every effort is made to avoid taking any part in helping them. Today some pictures came into the discussion; a small boy drowned as his parents fled. Some of the Labour hopefuls have changed their tune and are now calling for us to help whereas, until recently, they were scoring political points using the increased numbers coming in to belabour the Tories.

Nicola Sturgeon has made it clear that we, in Scotland are willing to take our share as we have done in the past. This is however, a reserved matter and the wishes of some elements of the press with their xenophobia may will “persuade” the Government to stand firm, turn their back and do nothing.

I have been counselling caution among those anxious to re-run the referendum. We shall see how this plays out but it may well be the trigger to bring about another unstoppable demand to get away from what this intolerable regime in Westminster.

DS Blackwood,

1 Douglas Drive East,

Helensburgh.

DESCRIBING the UK Government’s response to the refugee crisis as being "cowardly and immoral" (“UK Government cowardly in refugee crisis response”, Herald, editorial, September 3) begs the question of what would constitute a civilised migrant policy.

Any EU government suggesting that everyone from a poor or war-torn country be admitted would not last long when voters saw migrants arriving by the tens of millions.

It is surely not “immoral” to insist on applications for asylum being made from the first safe location available and sending Calais-style queue jumpers back to processing areas.

If we want people to drown in the Med or suffocate in large trucks we should carry on with the current system whereby those smuggled into Europe can in practice stay forever.

Rev Dr John Cameron,

10 Howard Place,

St Andrews.

I HAVE become increasingly concerned at the flak that the UK Government is getting over the Syrian refugee crisis and its refusal to “open our doors” to thousands of refugees. Whilst one sympathises with their plight, this begs the question as to what their fellow Muslim brothers in the mega-rich gulf oil states and Iran are doing to help alleviate the situation. How many have they offered to take? What has been their contribution?

They appear to have been remarkably quiet on the situation.

Andrew Carlyle,

4 Duart Avenue,

Prestwick.

ON a day when much of the world press led with the appalling pictures of the dead Syrian three-year-old child, you devote one half of your front page to an enormous picture of Craig Whyte, under which was yet another devolution story. Is this a symptom of just how parochial Scotland has now become?

R Murray,

28 Maxwell Drive, Glasgow.