Letter: Assault on Iraq

Bombing Iraq will be immoral, impractical, and unjust. Immoral for killing people without justification. Impractical because we won't get all the sites. Unjust because the rationale stems from an unbalanced political view of the region.

This is the last throw of an ineffective UN/US/UK policy. Iraq can easily re-acquire chemical and biological, if not nuclear, weapons after an inspection.

The UK must think and speak for herself, however friendly we may be towards America. We should develop a new policy based on assistance and support for the people of Iraq and a proper military balance in the region.

We should realise that sanctions are confirming anti-Western attitudes in the minds of ordinary people in Iraq and in other Middle Eastern states, commence an aid initiative aimed at support and development for Iraq, rather like that undertaken by America and others for Germany after 1945, and take our improved status with the Arabs as an opportunity to help ease tension between the Arab world and Israel, to improve prospects for peace in the region.

JOHN DEXTER

Hythe, Hampshire