REGARDING Councillor Dave Harling's attack on the handling by Margaret Thatcher of the Falkland Islands dispute with Argentina (Letters, April 24), the diplomatic solution he alluded to would have given the Falklands and its people over to the sovereignty of the then military dictatorship of Argentina.

This was not acceptable to either the people of the Falklands or the UK government. On April 2 1982 Argentina attacked and captured the island. Our government's answer was to send a task force to reclaim it.

This was done with the support of most of the UK citizens -- even the United Nations called for an Argentinian withdrawal -- and by June 14 the islands were retaken, but at the regrettable loss of 254 of our servicemen.

Not since World War Two has the UK seen such a burst of patriotism, something the left wing of British politics has never forgiven Margaret Thatcher for. The outcome was to ensure the return to power of an unpopular Tory government in 1983.

As for the Iraq conflict, there is no doubt that it might have been better managed, but at least rejoice that an evil dictator is gone, and that the people of Iraq are free.

G SCHOFIELD, Swallow Drive, Blackburn.