From Field Marshal Sir John Stanier.

Sir, When the last coalition soldier has left Iraq, I am sure that the world will heave a sigh of relief. Not, I fear, that he will leave with a pat on the back for a job well done. Instead I am afraid he will be forced to leave by a combination of Iraqi insurgency and disillusioned world opinion.

My concern is for all those soldiers of the involved nations who have genuinely tried to generate goodwill between themselves and the Iraqis, but whose task, set by their political masters, will have proved to be impossible. Their reputation too will have been sorely damaged by the misbehaviour of a few of their fellows (letters, May 12, etc).

When the sand has settled and Iraq has become whatever it will be -not, I am sure, a neat and tidy democracy -I hope that whoever is then the President of the United States and whoever is our Prime Minister will remember that trying to change other peoples' lives by force of arms is a recipe for disaster.

Yours faithfully, JOHN STANIER (Chief of the General Staff, 1982-85), The Old Farmhouse, Hazeley Bottom, Hartley Wintney, Hook, Hampshire RG27 8LU.