IN the past few weeks I have felt devastated and helpless at seeing the suffering of the innocent Iraqi civilians, including many children killed and injured by coalition forces and also the thousands of Iraqi soldiers, large numbers of whom are conscripted young men defending their country from an invading force.

With their obsolete equipment they have been unable to compete against the superior weapons used against them.

As the troops moved into Baghdad we saw an increased number of casualties, including journalists -- death and injury caused by the targeting of civilian areas.

Very little coverage has been given to these issues and the terrible humanitarian crisis by the Western media which are in general supportive of the coalition's stance.

It has become apparent that the 'weapons of mass destruction' that we have heard so much about are in the hands of the Americans and British, who have inflicted untold damage on the people and infrastructure of Iraq.

The major hospital of Baghdad had a high intake of casualties that it was unable to treat due to the loss of power and water caused by bombing.

The British Government has made a serious moral mistake. Very few would disagree that the dictatorial regime of Saddam Hussein needed to be replaced, but this could have been achieved in an alternative way.

I feel ashamed that a Labour government declared war on a country that offered no threat to Britain.

British interests and influence will now be jeopardised all over the world.

LYNNE COOPER, Blackburn Road, Darwen.