Iraq

It would be nice to remember them by having a memorial garden dedicated to them, and we should ask Tony Blair to open it.

It would hopefully serve as a reminder to politicians and public alike that these young soldiers joined up to serve their own country, and not to die serving the whims of ill-advised men in power. A cavalier adventure like Iraq should never happen again, and as for Afghanistan, watch this space.

Hugh Pender, Darlington.

IT seem to me we’ve come out of Iraq with our tail between our legs.

Certainly, we’ve emerged with precious little credit, military or otherwise. Okay, we’ve maintained a presence in Basra for six years, but only by giving up on the role of soldier and taking on that of social worker cum public relations officer.

In fact, the local militias and civilian population have tolerated us there, and what does that say about our effectiveness as a fighting force? I’m not criticising our soldiers, I’m criticising the politicians who put them in an impossible and totally invidious position, outgunned and out-numbered many times over.

The whole thing’s been a shameful, bloody and morally pointless fiasco.

Tony Kelly, Crook.