LETTER: Solidarity with Iraq

Sir: Alice Mahon (letter, 31 January) says that Labour Friends of Iraq (LFIQ) would be more convincing if we had commented on the bombing of Fallujah and abuse of prisoners.

A quick glance at our website shows that we carry a regular feature called "Bush doesn't get it", where we propose an absolute ban on torture. We also issued a model motion on Fallujah before the attack, which condemned its aerial bombardment, demanded political and humanitarian means to prevent civilian casualties and added that a flourishing democracy in Iraq would powerfully undermine terrorism. It is preposterous to say that LFIQ is an apologist for the war: most of us opposed it, but post-war solidarity is the priority.

More importantly, Iraqis have moved on by giving the purple finger to the fascist gunmen and bombers and voting in huge numbers. So let all those who took different positions on the war unite to provide huge moral and material solidarity to Iraqi unions and civil society.

GARY KENT

Director, Labour Friends of Iraq

Reading