WAR AGAINST IRAQ: I want to assure the anti-war march through Newcastle on Saturday, March 15, of my prayers and good wishes. I came back recently from a pilgrimage to Egypt, Jordan and Israel. I met scattered groups of contemporary Christians and drew a stark picture of real life for people of all faiths in the Middle East. Many people are subject to horrendous social and physical deprivation, violence and intimidation abound.

It confirmed for me the serious questions I already had about the prospect of an even greater war in these lands. If war breaks out in Iraq they will be the ones who will be subject to more suffering and social and economic dislocation. It would take decades to restore any kind of normal life and a generation of children would be condemned to fear and poverty.

During this time of Lent we as Christians have the opportunity to bring to the attention of our communities our concern for the world, together with our gratitude for redemption. Leaders of nations must avoid this disaster of war, which will have such a huge and long-lasting effect. I do not yet hear honest and cogent reason for the invasion of Iraq. - Rt Rev Michael Turnbull, Bishop of Durham.

INTERNATIONAL terrorism must be overjoyed that its philosophy has been so readily adopted by George Bush and Tony Blair.

Human life has no value. The voice of the majority counts for nothing. There is no democracy, no justice, no international law, no Geneva Conventions, and no Ten Commandments. Might is Right! Shock and awe indeed.

Tony Blair seems quite prepared to die in the execution of his leader's plans (well, only politically).

High on the duo's agenda is a plan that Saddam Hussein could only dream of - the effective destruction of the United Nations, founded (on the corpses of millions) to avoid war.

Along with the British people of every religion, race and social class, we beg to differ. - Zak Newton, Sedgefield Against War.

HAVING read the sermons from the Rev Stephenson and the Rev Towers, as a practising Christian, I am not amused.

No one likes war. Not once have they mentioned the evil of Saddam Hussein and the murder and torture of his own people.

Perhaps the Rev Stephenson is too busy vilifying Peter Mullen with such words as "loathing". This is not very Christian. And what has made the Rev Towers so anti-American? Has McDonalds come to Langley Park and taken the declining congregation away from church?

I served alongside the Americans in 1945 and the winter of that year was interesting. The weather in Berlin at that time was so atrocious, the nasty Americans gave half their rations to German children.

Perhaps the two reverends were not around at that time. Can I remind them that we would all be speaking German without the help of our American friends. - W Potts, Grenadier Guards Association, Northumbria Branch.

EDUCATION

CHARLES Clarke was recently asked by Northern youngsters what he meant by giving people from "non-traditional" backgrounds a chance to go to university and he replied that he was talking about those who missed out earlier in life and may now go on to be mature students.

Well, this is a praiseworthy aim, but I wonder whether the responsibilities of parenthood and mortgage may deter them. Will their, now aged, parents be means tested over the £3,000 tuition fees? After all an adult of 18 has the same rights and responsibilities as an adult of, say, 40.

In the defence of tuition fees, he also said: "When children get to 18 they should be responsible for paying for their own education." If he means this, then surely all 18-year-olds should be viewed as being equally responsible; ie their own financial status should be the only factor taken into account. Why should parental income be taken into account when deciding whether or not to charge tuition fees when they have no say in the decisions of their offspring? Why should the 60 per cent of taxpayers who earn more than an arbitrary threshold be penalised for the decisions of another adult?

The whole approach indicates muddled thinking on behalf of the Government which appears to want everyone to pursue higher education but doesn't want to pay for it through our taxes. If this principle is to be taken to its logical conclusion then why should the taxpayer fund the unemployed? Surely their parents and relatives should have a whip-round and save the rest of us a bundle. - A Ruff, Ellingham, Northumberland.

THE headteacher who has banned all books containing stories about pigs from her school's classrooms, for fear of offending Muslims (Echo, Mar 5) is taking politically correct behaviour too far.

If she feels so strongly, why is she concerned only about the Muslims? Has she checked all the books for things that might possibly offend other groups? For example, are stories about cows banned to protect the feelings of Hindus? And what about Christian stories; are they too banned because so many of her pupils are of Pakistani or Indian origin?

Her actions are a blatant display of ethnic discrimination. Native English children attending her school will not be allowed to hear traditional stories such as The Three Little Pigs and other animal stories that have given pleasure to English children for centuries. No more Tom Tom the Piper's son or This Little Piggy Went to Market.

People who are as over-zealous in matters pertaining to political correctness as this lady seems to be, cause harm by their views and actions and create situations that would probably never have become an issue if they had left well alone. - EA Moralee, Billingham.