Are we proud of our victory in helping to overthrow the dictator Muammar Gaddafi? After 12 years, Libya still has no government that can maintain critical dams. No one asked the Libyans if chaos was better than Gaddafi. Our success in promoting misgovernment has now cost many thousands of lives (‘Sea is constantly dumping bodies’: fears Libya flood death toll may hit 20,000, 13 September).
Joseph Hanlon
London
• Re deterring moles with a pickled onion (Letters, 12 September), my family copy of Markham’s Farewell to Husbandry, dated 1660, says this: “An excellent way to take Moals, and to preserve good Ground from such annoyance: Put Garlick, Onions, or Leeks, into the mouths of the holes, and they will come out quickly as amazed.”
Richard Norman
Canterbury
