In order to put the current crisis in Crimea in perspective, I would refer people to a very interesting book that I am sure John Kerry, William Hague and, no doubt, President Putin have read. It is The Grand Chessboard,written in 1998 by one of President Obama's favourite foreign affairs theorists and President Carter's national security adviser, Zbigniew Brzezinski. In it he argued that the US had to take control of a number of strategic countries, including Ukraine, arguing that that country is "a new and important space on the Eurasian chessboard, is a geopolitical pivot because its very existence as an independent country (means) Russia ceases to be a Eurasian empire". He warns against allowing Russia to regain control over the country because, by doing so, "Russia automatically again regains the wherewithal to become a powerful imperial state, spanning Europe and Asia".
*Colin Burke*
Manchester
• Instead of imposing sanctions on Russia for recognising Crimea's independence, perhaps we should welcome President Putin's new-found enthusiasm for democracy and ask him when he plans to hold a similar referendum in Chechnya and allow the Chechens to declare their independence from Russia.
*Sam Dastor*
Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire
• Timothy Garton Ash (The focus is on Crimea, but next is the fight for Ukraine, 19 March) criticises the Crimea referendum for lacking "the consent of all parts of the existing state", and for being held "without due constitutional process". Why did he not similarly complain when the referendums which carved up Yugoslavia were being held – without the consent of all parts of the existing state, and without due constitutional process?
*Marko Gasic*
London
• David Cameron has rightly condemned the annexation of Crimea as illegitimate and illegal. He called at prime minister's questions for "a rules-based system where countries obey the rules". This would be an excellent and brave initiative. Consistency is key. For example, last week, in a speech to the Israeli Knesset, one has to ask why he did not call for Israel to cancel its illegal annexations of Jerusalem and the Golan Heights, both of which were condemned by UN security council resolutions 24 years ago. It took less than 24 hours to pass sanctions on Russia. He did not even ask when Israel would be ending its 47-year-old military occupation. If Putin had been paying attention, he would have been happily reassured.
*Chris Doyle*
Director, Council for Arab-British Understanding
• Despite the illegitimate nature of the Crimea referendum, the fact that it was carried out within the space of two weeks must be a cause of a little embarrassment to Minurso, the UN body charged with organising a referendum on self-determination in Western Sahara. That was back in 1991. Twenty-three years later, in the face of ongoing Moroccan obstruction and international indifference, Minurso has still not fulfilled its mandate and a population a quarter the size of Crimea's is still awaiting a say on its future.
*Stefan Simanowitz*
London Reported by guardian.co.uk 7 hours ago.
*Colin Burke*
Manchester
• Instead of imposing sanctions on Russia for recognising Crimea's independence, perhaps we should welcome President Putin's new-found enthusiasm for democracy and ask him when he plans to hold a similar referendum in Chechnya and allow the Chechens to declare their independence from Russia.
*Sam Dastor*
Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire
• Timothy Garton Ash (The focus is on Crimea, but next is the fight for Ukraine, 19 March) criticises the Crimea referendum for lacking "the consent of all parts of the existing state", and for being held "without due constitutional process". Why did he not similarly complain when the referendums which carved up Yugoslavia were being held – without the consent of all parts of the existing state, and without due constitutional process?
*Marko Gasic*
London
• David Cameron has rightly condemned the annexation of Crimea as illegitimate and illegal. He called at prime minister's questions for "a rules-based system where countries obey the rules". This would be an excellent and brave initiative. Consistency is key. For example, last week, in a speech to the Israeli Knesset, one has to ask why he did not call for Israel to cancel its illegal annexations of Jerusalem and the Golan Heights, both of which were condemned by UN security council resolutions 24 years ago. It took less than 24 hours to pass sanctions on Russia. He did not even ask when Israel would be ending its 47-year-old military occupation. If Putin had been paying attention, he would have been happily reassured.
*Chris Doyle*
Director, Council for Arab-British Understanding
• Despite the illegitimate nature of the Crimea referendum, the fact that it was carried out within the space of two weeks must be a cause of a little embarrassment to Minurso, the UN body charged with organising a referendum on self-determination in Western Sahara. That was back in 1991. Twenty-three years later, in the face of ongoing Moroccan obstruction and international indifference, Minurso has still not fulfilled its mandate and a population a quarter the size of Crimea's is still awaiting a say on its future.
*Stefan Simanowitz*
London Reported by guardian.co.uk 7 hours ago.