WAR AGAINST IRAQ: I AM increasingly suspicious of the motives of TV news reporters constantly criticising our forces on Iraq. We apparently have under-estimated Saddam, we are over-stretched etc.

This encourages Saddam to think he will survive and inflames Arab opinion against the West.

Also, this criticism encourages the protestors to do their worst trying to change public opinion against the war.

The worst thing we can do now is stop halfway. It almost seems as if the TV reporters want this war to continue as long as possible, so that there is a constant stream of exciting news to report. - F Atkinson, Shincliffe.

SHORT response for Hugh Pender and his fellow critics of the war: God Bless America. - Peter Johnson, Darlington.

THE continued resistance of the Iraqis is making it clear that many people in Iraq would prefer to live under a dictator from their own race rather than one appointed by the United States.

There is nothing that unifies more than what is perceived to be a common enemy. One bomb speaks far louder than its weight in propaganda leaflets.

The old adage, better the devil you know than the devil you don't, might have predicted this outcome to all but the dullest of politicians.

The Allies are now left with the choice of abandoning the sham of "liberation" and hammering Baghdad with even more bombs, or to conduct a siege.

Either choice will lead to massive loss of civilian lives, largely children, though the siege would probably be even more effective.

If they storm Baghdad and fight street to street it will simply add a huge number of military casualties to the horrendous civilian death toll.

This situation should never have arisen in the first place but now it has, the only solution is to recognise that we are on the brink of another Vietnam and to stop before matters get even worse. - C Watson, Darlington.

I WOULD like to register my disgust at the latest message on the notice board at the new football stadium in Darlington which refers to "our lads" in the Gulf.

With a son already in the RAF and a daughter who is joining him on April 9, I am disgusted that all the "lasses" have not been included in this message. The girls play as vital a role as the lads and deserve the same support and best wishes.

I hope the stadium will put this right for all the families who have loved ones who are in the forces at this very difficult time. - Gerry Dempsey, Middleton-St-George.

PRIME Minister Tony Blair's mention of two British soldiers being murdered by the Iraqis lacked the necessary verification.

Just where did Tony Blair's manifestly devastating accusation originate? It's as though even what could be lies, or at the very least unverified stories about Saddam Hussein, serve a useful purpose.

Well Mr Blair, as much as I want rid of Saddam Hussein, I wish to hear nothing but the truth about his tyrannous regime.

Currently it seems as though fact and fiction are locked in combat. - Alfred H Lister, Guisborough.

SADDAM Hussein is as cunning as he is cruel and it is now clear what his overall strategy is: to disguise his troops in civilian clothing so as to merge in with the genuine civilian population.

This is a dastardly ruse but entirely in keeping with his character and should have been anticipated.

And it re-emphasises the unique nature of the opportunity we enjoyed in 1991 when there was a level playing field because his troops were forced to fight in the open.

Now in a war zone anyone wearing civilian clothing who fires on either side has no protection under the Geneva Convention and troops are entirely within their rights to kill them if they capture them.

However, there is no doubt the vast majority of the Iraqi population want us in there and it is essential we retain this goodwill. And I would therefore urge our forces, however great their frustration, that before killing any of Saddam's scum in civilian clothing, to make as sure of identifying him as such. - T Kelly, Crook.

I CANNOT agree with a lot of your Comment articles on what should happen to the people of Iraq when peace is restored.

The American forces are not aggressors. We are doing what the United Nations should have done a year ago, freeing the Iraqi people from a cruel regime that has killed many thousands of its own people.

I believe that Tony Blair and George Bush should sort out the country.

Now I would like to see Mr Blair put our once Great Britain back to its former glory and get us away from Europe.

I do not agree with his Labour politics, but I do agree with him having the sense to realise that in America we have friends to rely on. - F Wealand, Darlington.

BNP

I WOULD like to make a couple of corrections to stories in The Northern Echo which mentioned myself.

In the story "Asian to support BNP bid for power" I was reported as saying: "Rajinder will be helping to urge people to support our stance against the asylum racket which is causing trouble for white British people".

What I actually said was that the asylum racket was causing problems for all British people.

In a previous day's article under the headline "BNP fights record number of seats", it was reported that I was expelled from the UK Independence Party.

I was not a member. I received a membership card out of the blue and I certainly did not pay for it. UKIP approached me asking if I would stand for them in the coming elections. I said that I would consider it, but I would want to incorporate the asylum seeker racket in my campaign.

UKIP would not allow this so I refused to stand. UKIP's decision to expel me (if it is possible to expel a non-member) was, in my opinion, sour grapes. - Trevor Agnew, Darlington.