A few months ago I wrote about the problems in Syria and suggested that the only way forward was to stop the killing which was accelerating out of control.

I referred to our action in Iraq to remove Saddam Hussein and again in Libya to remove Col Gaddafi. Both were evil men and murderers but kept control on their countries.

We were right to intervene and what we should have done was to tame these leaders and not remove them, which then left these countries without leaders and as a result the problems have increased and spread.

Having not learned our lesson, we were ready to do the same with Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian leader, who is the same type of evil leader, but a poorer leader.

I suggested as there was no other obvious leader we should cooperate with Assad to regain control, but no action was taken by the leading countries.

It has taken Vladimir Putin to take the lead, and I am happy to say that Germany, America and the UK have now realised there is no alternative. In the name of humanity I wish them luck.

The great pity is that while this was obvious three years ago, no action was taken then and this has led to the mass slaughter of so many innocent people and the acceleration of terrorism.

There are 193 so-called leaders in the world. Is there not one “real leader” among them that can see into the future?

Sir Eric Howells CBE

Meadow View

Llanddewi Velfrey