Letter: Anti-war conscience

Sir: A number of letters and articles in The Independent appear to be trying to discredit the anti-war left. Keith Gilmour (letter, 4 February) even suggests their policies would have caused more deaths in Iraq than those of the US/UK governments. But history shows this to be a travesty of the truth.

It was the anti-war left that protested against the arming of Saddam Hussein by right-wing Western governments during the Iraq/Iran war. It was the anti-war left that opposed sanctions that killed so many Iraqis, including thousands of children. It was the anti-war left that tried to prevent the UK supporting the illegal US invasion and occupation of Iraq, which killed possibly 100,000 Iraqis.

Our conscience is clear. We will continue to oppose the pro-war right.

ROY KERSHAW

Shepshed, Leicestershire