Sir, I suggest that your cartoonist Peter Brookes (July 12) read the well-informed and morally sensitive essay by your columnist David Aaronovitch (Comment, same day). It is offensive to the people of London to compare the campaign against Saddam Hussein with the attack on our city. Certainly in both cases innocent people died, but in the former they died by accident and despite serious attempts to avoid civilian casualties, in the latter as a matter of deliberate policy.

One does not even have to agree that removing Saddam was in itself a good deed to see the falseness of the equation that Peter Brookes offers.

CHRIS BROWN
c.j.brown@lse.ac.uk

From Mr Nick Loney

Sir, Peter Brookes’s cartoon on Tuesday was insensitive and crass. The military activities undertaken by the US and the UK in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Balkans all successfully removed from power oppressive regimes that showed no compunction about murdering anybody who opposed them. The people of the Balkans and Afghanistan undoubtedly have a brighter future because of those actions, although the situation in Iraq is admittedly still difficult to call.

Those who bombed the London transport system last week had the objective of killing as many innocent people as possible. If one were to credit them with any form of political objective, it would be the replacement of social and political freedom by a form of religious fascism.

If Peter Brookes can’t spot the difference, he needs to look again.

NICK LONEY
nicholasloney@hotmail.com

From Mr Richard Beeston

Sir, It seems at present politically incorrect to suggest a connection between the London bombings and Britain’s leading support for America in the invasion of Iraq.

In fact the suffering and casualties unleashed in a war of doubtful legality have angered and radicalised millions throughout the Muslim world, and it may not be surprising that Britain in particular has become a target of this hostility.

Al-Qaeda, before the invasion, did not have a foothold in Iraq. We will live to regret that Iraq has now become a training ground for Islamic fundamentalists in the latest techniques and technology of terrorism.

Your cartoonist Peter Brookes has a valid point.

RICHARD BEESTON
Hammersmith, London
wrcbeeston@tiscali.co.uk

Explore Letters

• Feedback