09/04/03

Declining oil supplies in Western countries, and the vast reserves in Iraqi oilfields (enough for colossal consumption by US military forces) could have induced US oil and armament giants to press for invasion of Iraq.

It appears that petroleum companies are already jostling for shares of Iraqi oil.

US regard for humanitarian issues in Iraq must come much lower on the agenda, considering its record in the Palestinian situation.

The US has supplied Israel with quantities of deadly weapons to attack Palestinians and destroy their homes, schools, hospitals etc and backed up the Israeli illegal and inhuman military occupation of Palestinian land.

There is desperate need for UN action to stop these atrocities - yet the US has used its veto 30 times to block UN measures for Israel's withdrawal from occupied territories and for justice and human rights for the Palestinians.

With these considerations, was the UK morally justified in joining President Bush's war - with more likelihood of all Arab countries uniting against the West and possibly more terrorism? - FG Bishop, Darlington.

OUR commanders in Iraq have expressed disappointment at the absence of a popular uprising there in support of our forces.

Well, what do these gentlemen expect? Do they not recall that in similar circumstances in 1991 the people of Iraq did indeed rise up in large numbers at our specific urging? At the time, inexplicably and inexcusably, we let Saddam Hussein off the hook and, as if it were no concern of ours, allowed him to avenge himself on those hapless people who had stuck out their necks on our behalf and whom we had led to believe could count on us in return.

It will never be known how many were tortured and murdered, but it is probably millions. After that utterly shameful betrayal, for which our then leaders, significantly George Bush Snr, and John Major, merit the severest censure, is it any wonder those deeply traumatised people no longer trust us?

And that is why we are paying the penalty, in blood and resources, now. - Tony Kelly, Crook.

ASHOK Kumar (Echo, Apr 4) is right to insist that this is not a crusade against Islam, but because of the cynicism and hypocrisy of the US/British stance, it will be presented as such by Islamist extremists.

When other arguments for war failed to convince, it was claimed that war was necessary for the protection of the Iraqi people and their Arab neighbours.

Liberating the Iraqi people from their oppressor may be a noble objective, but while the majority of Iraqis and Kurds want rid of Saddam, it is doubtful whether they agree that this is the right way to do it.

This is not a war of last resort. Diplomatic efforts were far from exhausted. I do not suggest that diplomacy could persuade Saddam to step down, disarm or cease his oppressions, but it would have been feasible to marginalise extremism and absolve the West of charges of double standards by dealing first with the problems of Palestinian, Kurdish and Chechen autonomy.

This could have secured the support and participation of Arabs and Muslims, without which this war can only perpetuate conflict and bloodshed. - Pete Winstanley. Durham.

I FOUND Mr Bradley's condemnation of war reporting most interesting and very true (HAS, Mar 30).

But with today's standards we must ask ourselves, do we expect better? It has become very obvious that self-celebrity is what it's all about nowadays.

To those of us who remember journalism at its best, when facts were considered the foundation of good reporting, tempered with good taste and without hype or hysteria and when presumption, theories and opinions were left to the less enlightened, we can either ignore or despair.

As I settle down to read, yet again, the reporting of Kipling in his early days to remind myself what good reporting is all about, I choose the former. - W Craig, Billingham.

IF one of the reasons behind a war against Iraq is to defend democracy in the West, why then in America are not only civil and legal rights disappearing, but you can be arrested for protesting against or even questioning the war?

Not only is this undemocratic but this is the version of democracy America wants to export around the world.

Equally, if this is a war to protect people's freedoms, what then of those many immigrants to America who are being deported for no crime other than having a religion, ethnic grouping or former nationality that will not be tolerated by America's right-wing administration? What message and what values does this send out to a world that already distrusts America? - C McArt, Spennymoor.

FIRE ENGINE

I WAS wondering if I could enlist the help of your readers to trace an old fire appliance.

I am a firefighter with the Durham County Brigade and I have been with the brigade since 1974. The first station I was posted to in June, 1974 was Seaham and they had one Dennis fire appliance and one Bedford appliance there at the time.

I am trying to track down either of the appliances, but in particular the Dennis as it was the first fire engine I ever drove. Its registration number was VUP 934L.

It was sold at auction at Yarm in the late 1980s and I really would like to find it again, if nothing more than for old time's sake. The registration number of the Bedford appliance was VUP668F. - Ian Ferguson, Peterlee.