Military cuts vital

According to Wing Commander Peter Daulby, a smaller army would put us at risk of not being able to cope with civil emergencies such as the G4S Olympics security debacle ( Army warns of its own Games legacy: two years to recover , 14 August). How do other countries with smaller armies manage? Britain spends militarily twice as much relative to GDP as Europe's economic powerhouse, Germany (2.6% v 1.3% in 2011 according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute ). Following the recent strategic defence review the military budget will drop by 8% or £3bn by 2014. The estimated £17bn annual savings from moving to the German level would help substantially to pay for the infrastructure – such as electrified and high-speed rail, Thames estuary hub airport, new housing stock and improved schools – our economy so clearly needs. We may punch above our weight in war and, since Beijing, in Olympic medals, but Germany continues to win the peace. Joseph Palley Richmond, Surrey