Madam, - Mary Russell (An Irishwoman's Diary, August 31st) recycles the romantic feminist mush about the Greenham Common women and the Cruise missiles.
Nowhere does she mention the Soviet Union's SS 20 missiles which had destabilised the balance of power in Europe and to which the Cruise missiles were a response. The German chancellor, Helmut Schmidt, was one of the prime advocates of the response.
Ms Russell notes, blandly, "eventually the Cold War thawed, Gorbachev came on the scene and talks opened up". Why? Because courageous western leaders had stood up to the Soviet Union and deployed the Cruise missiles.
Regarding plans noted by Ms Russell to blockade nuclear weapons installations in Scotland, it might be more to the point for the sisterhood to focus their energies on Iran for the moment. - Yours, etc,
PD DOYLE, Clontarf Road, Dublin 3.