Normandy veterans give their support to troops in Iraq war

It is with this in mind, that having in the most part been face to face with the enemy, we can fully understand the traumas that our troops are enduring in Iraq.

We sympathise wholeheartedly with their feelings in anticipating battle - the worry, the fear and the excitement.

We would like to say that they have our moral support and that we wish we were in a position to do more.

We wish them well and hope for a speedy end to this conflict.

D J Haydock,

Hon Secretary,

The Normandy Veterans

Association (York),

Kirklands,

Strensall,

York.

Dismayed by unfair criticism

I WAS dismayed to read the letters by Graham Horne and Colin Jeffery (March 24) even though I feel that the war against Iraq is morally wrong.

I agree that the American "culture" has tended to pervade the entire world and, yes, it is based almost entirely on excess.

I also agree that unchecked American aggression will ultimately prove extremely unsettling for the inhabitants of this planet. I suppose the Bush administration might argue that they are only sharing the fear around...

And I agree again that the conflict in Iraq will probably not last long.

Where I disagree is that I do not believe that the American people are all totally evil, though they might be easily led. There are a lot of good things in their way of life too, which must surely be worth preserving?

I also do not want to see Britain and the US "sustain a few severe bruises" as this would imply the deaths of serious numbers of troops and/or Iraqi civilians.

It is unfair to imply criticism of our forces for invading Iraq.

I think what our troops have been sent to do is wrong, but they do not make the decisions on which "jobs" they get sent to do.

They are paid to follow orders, not to judge the morality of those orders.

I would, however, like to think that President Bush and "President" Blair will pay for this at election time - in votes, not in blood.

Dr Richard Greaves,

Morehall Close,

Rawcliffe,

York.

Unbelievable bias

THE Evening Press's actions leading to the present conflict, and since, have been deplorable.

Your bias has been unbelievable.

Each of your columnists has supported the paper's opinion and you have given the Save Saddam brigade column after column to express their views whilst at the same time stifling differing opinions.

The fact that 14-year-old boys are seen carrying Socialist Worker banners must alert, even you, to the extremes to which you are leading the gullible.

To these kids it is a game and to try to pretend that they are all intelligent people who know the rights and wrongs of this situation is nonsense.

You had the opportunity to speak out against the Menwith Hill demonstration, you had the chance to tell the demonstrators that their actions could possibly affect the safety of our troops, but you failed.

I would like to point out to you and the Save Saddam brigade that Tony Blair is the democratically-elected leader of a democratically-elected Government who won a vote to take the action he has taken.

It is our duty, in a democracy, to abide by that decision and support him. If you disagree with him you can vote against him at the next election.

There is only one thing you can replace a democratically-elected leader with and that is anarchy, and that is exactly the way the Save Saddam brigade is leading us. The Socialist Workers have been waiting for an opportunity like this for decades, a chance to lead the gullible down the road to they know not where.

Derek M Martin,

Fulford Road,

York.

First casualty

WE all know truth is the first casualty of war. Over the past few days there have been some striking examples.

All missiles fired by Iraqi forces are described as "Scuds", though there's no evidence that any of them have been Scuds, rather than (lethal, but legal) short-range conventional missiles.

The sudden "discovery" on Saturday night, and just-as-sudden disappearance the next morning, of a "chemical weapons factory'".

Universal outrage, condemnation and quoting of the Geneva Convention at the showing of US prisoners of war on Iraqi TV; no such reaction to shot after shot of Iraqi POWs on Western TV.

Oh, and also, how is it "supporting" people to order them to fight an unjust war. Wouldn't it be more supportive to bring them home?

Ben Drake,

Danum Road,

Fulford,

York.

Heavy-handed

WELL done to Nigel Holland, the Evening Press photographer, for being fast enough to capture the moment when a York University student was pinned to the ground in a throat press by a member of the police bicycle section (March 21).

It's a picture that's worth more than a thousand words of public relations spin from police spokesmen. That student is a pacifist, he's short, and can't weigh more than nine stone. So what on earth led York police to launch this bizarrely heavy-handed response to an entirely peaceful protest?

This is York, not the Yemen, and all of the protests here have been completely harmless. I've seen more confrontation in the queue for Betty's Easter eggs.

Tony Blair repeatedly tries to turn the anti-war demonstrations back on themselves by saying that at least in Britain we have the democratic right to protest peacefully. According to the York police, we have no such right.

Chris King,

Vanbrugh College,

York University.

Disturbed

I WAS disturbed to read in your paper that Tory MP John Greenway has called for "limits on how anti-war protesters are allowed to behave" (March 22).

Greenway voted in favour of an illegal war likely to kill thousands of innocent people in Iraq.

He now wants to restrict the freedoms of people voicing their protest against the war - a war opposed by most of the population.

What we need is limits on how super powers are allowed to behave - which is one of the purposes of the UN.

I hope his constituents remember his contempt for public opinion and free speech at the next election and I hope they continue to make their views against this illegal war heard loud and clear.

Dave Berkeley,

Tower Place,

York.

Surprised

AS an American citizen, I am surprised and disappointed at the ignorance shown by those who have gone out of their way to damage Tony Blair's reputation as Britain's Prime Minister.

In the coming months, I am certain that Mr Blair will be vindicated in his stance on Iraq and in his staunch support of American President George W. Bush.

Nobody, including Bush and Blair, wants or likes war. However, certain threats like Hussein can only be removed by force.

Thankfully, Blair, Bush and other Allies see this plainly and will take necessary action regardless of some negative protests and press.

I can only hope that when Allied forces liberate the oppressed people of Iraq, uncover and destroy the weapons of mass destruction in Saddam Hussein's possession and therefore stabilise one of the most unstable regions of our planet, those who have unrelentingly criticised Mr Blair will see him for what he is... a true, strong and righteous leader who was willing to stick his own professional and political neck on the line for the good of his country, the rest of the world and for democracy and freedom.

Steve Ellers

Long Island,

New York.

Fulfilment

EVERY time there is a discussion about the rights and wrongs of war with Iraq, "911" comes up.

The pseudo Christian George W Bush should know that "911" was a fulfilment of Ecclesiastes 11.1. You reap what you sow.

K Barnes,

North View,

Catterton.

He's blown it

I'M afraid Tony Blair's really blown it.

Instead of recognising the first real feeling of popular solidarity in the European Union (which includes the majority of British and Spanish people), he has put Britain's "special relationship" with the United States first.

And that relationship is extremely one-sided. I ask myself: Is Britain soon to become the 51st state?

I was born and raised in the US, am married to an Englishman, have lived in the UK for more than 30 years and have dual US/UK nationality.

I think that George W Bush and his administration are the greatest threat to world peace; infinitely more dangerous than Saddam Hussein, cruel tyrant though he is.

Like hundreds of millions of Europeans, I totally deplore this war and feel it is hypocritical rubbish for Mr Blair to blame France for lack of UN authority to wage this war.

We all know that the US would have gone ahead with or without the UN and even with or without Britain.

I sincerely believe that history will judge Chirac much more generously than it will judge you.

Margaret Vernon,

Kendal Close,

Dunnington,

York.

Updated: 09:43 Friday, March 28, 2003