IN a world of very unpleasant people it seems that Isis are intent on going to new lengths.

David Cameron probably feels provoked by those who say he is weak and indecisive, and President Obama is depicted as someone who is too slow to make up his mind.

As a result, we see the possibility of our involvement in military action through anger rather than careful calculation.

History is full of incidents where powers stumble into war, and I feel that the advice the Queen gave to Scottish voters over independence to think carefully about their future equally applies to what happens in the Middle East The least that should prompt action would be a resolution of the Security Council, but we should equally be sure that what takes place is not thought of throughout the world as intervention of powerful Western powers in a troubled part of the world which needs to sort out its own affairs.

When we think soberly about war, we don’t discount that it can be necessary but we regard it as the last resort.

G Bulmer, Billingham.