Madam, - Although the Government could be accused of being unprincipled in its stance towards the Iraq war, the nature of international politics means that the doctrine of "raison d'état", or "reason of state", takes precedence.
In this context the Irish Government and the officials at Iveagh House handled the crisis quite well, managing to keep both the Americans and the Arab world happy by on the one hand allowing the US military to use Shannon and on the other showing good judgment and timing in having Brian Cowen visit Yasser Arafat last June, for example.
However, President Bush's decision to exclude Ireland from Iraq reconstruction contracts means that this strategy may no longer be producing the reward necessary to justify the considerable political cost and the undoubted damage this is doing to our cherished neutrality.
The Government would now be perfectly justified in threatening to restrict the US military's use of Shannon until Ireland is allowed to bid for these extremely lucrative contracts. After all, what's the point of sacrificing principles if we can't make some real money out of it? - Yours etc.,
DONAL QUINN, Athenry, Co Galway.
Madam, - Bertie Ahern claims that Irish firms will not be considered for contracts in Iraq due to our Government's anti-war stance.
The real reason Irish companies will not be considered is more likely to have been at Bertie's own request.
The award of any contract to an Irish firm would put us top of Al Qaeda's "hit list", due to Ireland's complete inability to defend itself from any terrorist attack.
It mystifies me how Bertie doesn't suffer from permanent groin strain, considering his ability to straddle the fence regardless of what angle you view him from. - Yours etc.,
FIACHNA GOGGINS, Whitehall Road, Churchtown, Dublin.
Madam, - Further to our Taoiseach's comments about the invasion of Iraq i.e. "the 100,000 people who marched were supporting me. They were supporting my position". I was one of the 100,000 that marched and still march against the war, I do not support the Taoiseach's position now or then. - Yours etc.,
JOE SHEEHAN, Mount Kennett, Dock Road, Limerick.
Madam, - For some time I have been concerned that the US would pressurise the UN (and countries like Ireland) to contribute taxpayers' funds towards the reconstruction of Iraq.
It is, therefore, a relief to be told now that only countries who supported the action in Iraq could qualify for lucrative contracts there. Great - those who "broke it" will now "fix it"! Right? It is also noteworthy that Ireland will not receive any crumbs from the table for providing liberal use of Shannon! Bertie, please note! - Yours etc.,
GERRY McCORMACK, Ashbrook Gardens, Ennis Road, Limerick.
Madam, - With the announcement by the US administration that only members of the coalition will be considered in the bidding process for the rebuilding of Iraq, we can now be sure that in the eyes of this US administration, war is purely a facilitator for big business.
With this action and the recent and often repeated steel and other tariffs imposed by the US government, we see that the "free trade" that it espouses is purely on its own terms. This is very easy to achieve when the WTO is effectively a department within the US treasury.
It seems that the definitions of democracy, freedom and free markets have been changed since the arrival of Mr Bush, but maybe I'm just being cynical. - Yours etc.,
BARRY WALSH, Church Road, Blackrock, Cork.
Madam, - Pardonnez-moi! The French, German and Russian governments are currently in high dudgeon over the fact that the American government is excluding them from partaking in any of the contracts, which total over 18 billion dollars, for the Iraqi reconstruction efforts.
Would not their participation in such a reconstruction programme be akin to political hypocrisy since these very nations have condemned America's actions toward Iraq from the onset?
Under the circumstances, I believe a retort to the ignominious triad's chutzpah from the Americans and other members of the coalition struggling and sacrificing to free Iraq is in order.
May I suggest borrowing a famous phrase attributed to that shining example of French humility; Marie Antoinette: "Let them eat cake"! - Yours etc,
EDWARD D. RAFFERTY, Millpark, Castlebridge, Co Wexford.