LIKE millions of others I am seriously worried about the increasing momentum of the preparations for war in Iraq.

It appears that the United States is determined to go to war for reasons which have little to do with upholding the United Nations resolutions requiring Iraq to divest itself of weapons of mass destruction. The impression deliberately fostered is that nothing less than regime change in Baghdad will satisfy the United States. Regrettably, the US government has the fervent support of our government, apparently in the belief that we have a duty to stand by the US and will gain from doing so.

Saddam Hussein is a monster, one of several who have been sanctioned and armed by the United States to suit their purposes, in their case to wage war on Iran in the 1980s. He used chemical weapons then without any notable censure from the US.

Most people understand all that but would be prepared, however reluctantly, to support armed force, provided that the United Nations Security Council had sanctioned it after concluding that Iraq was continuing to harbour weapons of mass destruction and that all means short of armed force were incapable of persuading Iraq to give them up.

To act without UN sanction would, in my view, be disastrous for the rule of law and I think we should do all we can to persuade our government not to aid and abet the US in so doing.

The United States, which is by far the biggest repository of weapons of mass destruction on the planet, refuses to submit itself to international inspection or limitation by international treaty and is, in my judgement, a far greater potential threat to the peace of the world than Iraq could ever be.

Can I suggest to others who share my concerns that they write to our two Members of Parliament or directly to the Prime Minister and that they consider using their right to demonstrate peacefully in support of the rule of international law and against the arbitrary use of armed force and the threat, or the use of, weapons of mass destruction.

DEREK BODEN