MUSLIMS are convinced that American and UK strategy seeks to politically reshape the Middle East, which, if true, would be the most ambitious restructuring of the region since the colonial carve-up after World War One.

With one eye on oil and the other flank aimed at protecting Israel, which will include the Palestinians being evicted from their homes and pushed into Jordan for a "final solution" creating a "Palestinian state within Jordan."

And the "war on terror" in the words of Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammed, could well be transformed into a "war against Muslims."

America is venting its anger on Iraq just to cover its humiliation of September 11, followed by the failure to capture the guy whom they arrogantly boasted to catch in no time "dead or alive."

Why a war? Why not a well-thought researched tactical target using a cruise missile along with laser and GPS guidance to take out Saddam Hussein and a few hundred either side of him? Why kill tens of thousands?

Whatever happened to the idea of innocent until proven guilty? I'm no fan of Saddam but this war has no merit. If the US wants to remove a dictator, the worst live in Saudi Arabia. If they're worried about nuclear weapons, India and Pakistan both have them. As for UN resolutions, how many has Israel broken?

The document is probably full of half truths but then again why doesn't the US give the weapons inspectors the so-called evidence they have to prove it wrong? Or maybe they don't have any credible evidence and the truth of the matter is they want oil. Funny that they want to liberate the people of Iraq now, where were they when Saddam was gassing his own people?

If we judge truth by No 10's standards, I think the answer will be yes and no! The war against terrorism will not be stopped by a wall of paper.

Why do the US and UK automatically assume the report won't be credible and that Saddam will be lying. Are our politicians so honest?

What is happening to the Palestinian and Iraqi people represents the worst type of oppression, transgression and tyranny that could happen to any nation. The shocking thing though, is that the oppressors are covering up their crimes behind the veil of "self-defence" and "war against terrorism."

SABIR ESA, Montreal Road, Blackburn.