THE United Nations has been unable to agree on how to deal with the situation in Syria and stop the slaughter between rebels and government supporters.

Why? All Middle East countries are in the United Nations and discussing each other’s regime problems, namely Syria, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Kuwait. While UN members Russia, China and others seem to favour a non-interference approach.

NATO drew the short straw when given loose authority to attack with all types weapons, except “troops on the ground” and remove the Libyan president. After several months there is no certain result.

Syria and other countries in the turmoil of opposing their rulers must know NATO countries cannot stretch resources to beyond Libya. It is unlikely that anything can be done to intervene by external forces in Syria.

Previous efforts in Iraq have left an unstable state, current efforts in Afghanistan have an unpredictable result.

The lesson which should be learnt is, leave these countries to sort regime problems out by their own efforts. The results might be no worse or even better than the outcome of interference by ‘democratic’ Europeans.

J Beisly, Osprey Close, York.