MIKE Rose is clear that Syrian men should have stayed in Syria to fight, but is not at all clear who they should fight for.

Should they join the national army to uphold the murderous rule of Bashar al-Assad?

Most deaths in Syria are due to the well-armed government forces, so surely no patriotic person would volunteer to fight for them and the chance to be on the planes that drop clumsy but deadly barrel bombs on rebel-held cities (which triggers emigration).

Maybe he proposes that these men should join the rebel groups that want a moderate democracy?

Except they don’t have any training, only simple weapons and no air force, so that sounds like suicide, possibly with the chance to set off a few mortars at random into Damascus (which triggers emigration).

It is impossible to say how I would react, but I suspect I would try to ensure my parents and family were in a safe country – maybe in a plastic tent in Lebanon.

Then I would seek a place to earn a little money that I could send back to them to buy food, water and other simple essentials. It would be a horrible life.

For a refugee to have a smartphone is not a debatable luxury. They aren’t very expensive and allow contact with their families via Skype, WhatsApp etc.

I am proud that our country is helping the refugees in Jordan and Lebanon and glad that we will allow more to come here.

PETER HENNESSY

Hugh Allen Crescent,

Oxford