In his letter (Journal Postbag, September 18), Timothy Stroud praises President Obama following his visit to Stonehenge. Far from showing strength of convictions, in my view the President's continued lack of a coherent foreign policy has created a political void in which dictators and bullies have been allowed to thrive, thus making the world an even more dangerous place.

As a case in point, it is abhorrent that the Assad regime has been permitted to murder innocent Syrian civilians using indiscriminate chemical weapons dropped from aircraft and helicopters.

With the political will to use it, the technology exists today that would allow US-led Western air forces to neutralise Syrian air assets on the ground using air power and precision munitions. As leader of the free world, President Obama has failed to act and exert that vital leadership; he deserves no credit for such indecision.

On a less serious note, I hope the President enjoyed his visit to Stonehenge which I assume was uninhibited by traffic delays on the A303.

John Collier

Salisbury