YOUR reader GM Meehan is obviously right that "an unalterable truth is that under a regime such as that in Iraq, the York Against War campaign would not be allowed its say" (April 2). That is why I will wager that no more than half a dozen of the protesters hold any brief for Saddam Hussein.

I prefer our regimes too and I can think of many more reasons to do so than the "unalterable truth" that they are better than Iraq.

It is also true that the "Iraqi population deserve the protection of the international community..." That is why France worked so hard to assemble a 15-0 majority in the Security Council, and, in particular, President Chirac (yes, that Chirac!) spent hours on the phone lining up Syria.

For their pains, they are vilified by President You-know-who and Prime Minister You-know-who-else. That is no way to treat allies.

What should have happened is a negotiation to set a period for the inspectors to complete their work and an agreed-upon timetable (15-0, if possible) for action if they were impeded.

It is possible that there would then have been an unreasonable veto making action outside the UN necessary, but everything should have been done to avoid that. It wasn't.

Brian A. Jones,

Clinton Street,

Brooklyn,

New York.

Updated: 10:51 Friday, April 04, 2003