Just recently we have watched for the umpteenth time Gathering Storm (Albert Finney and Vanessa Redgrave) and Wilderness Years (Robert Hardy and Sian Phillips).

During that period of Churchill’s (non) career, the catchword for me is appeasement or perhaps the phrase ‘peace in our time’. There is a key difference between the participants in the Second World War and today’s Syria plus Russia against the Western World.

In the earlier scenario there was a clear difference between good and evil. Today we are dealing with Monsters (Syria, Iran and Russia) and Maniacs (the Islamists who wish to impose a caliphate upon all of us).

Rabbit asked Winnie-the-Pooh whether he would like butter or honey on his bread. “Both!”

So, what should be done: convince Russia that Assad is not worth protecting but retaining its bases need not be in jeopardy. At the same time, co-operation between Russia and the West to demolish ISIL would be hugely beneficial to both sides.