Letter: Scott's historic resonances

From Mr Philip Greig

Sir: "The Commission appointed by Act of Parliament to Enquire into the Operations of War in Mesopotamia" (a British politico-military disaster in which thousands of our men died) was published in 1917, price two shillings. It is one quarter of an inch thick, runs to 188 pages, weighs 1lb and is written in clear, plain English.

In contrast, the 1996 Scott report on arms to Iraq (previously most of Mesopotamia) weighs 17lb, costs pounds 44 and runs to five huge volumes of, arguably, much ambiguous and long-winded legalese.

Yours truly,

Philip Greig

Hannington Wick, Wiltshire