P. KAISERMAN'S ideals (Yours Truly, Sept 20), recognising the needs of suffering people of all countries, are shared by all decent humans except by the Taliban, Saddam Hussein and their like.

The suffering of the Iraqi community is the result of its leader's direction to torture and murder Kurds and to invade Iraq's neighbour, followed by his spending on the production of inhumane chemical weapons rather than on his own people. It is not the fault of Britain and America, who tried to rescue the Kurds and saved Saudi Arabia and were humane enough not to dispose of Saddam Hussein.

As a veteran of World War Two, I have no illusions about the evils of war and have prayed daily since September 11 that it can be avoided. If it does come, let the criticism be directed at the terrorists and those who shield them, not at the victims.

I am mindful of the terrorists in Ireland whom some Americans support. If Mr Kaiserman's suggested "new approach" is what British governments have adopted by conceding and conceding, releasing imprisoned terrorists before their time and conducting expensive inquiries into the behaviour of British troops brave enough to face terrorist evil, then it has been proved not to work.

Such extreme tolerance is presumed by terrorists to be a contemptible weakness to be exploited.

A. HOLLOWAY,

Whitefield.