Madam, - Because Charles Krauthammer supports the freeing of Iraq from Saddam Hussein, Alan Barwise asks (February 7th): "Why does The Irish Timespersist in publishing Mr Krauthammer's articles?"
For the same reason, I suggest, that it publishes a letter from Mr Barwise, who patronisingly believes Iraqis are not ready for freedom and deserve only authoritarian rule, such as that of the late Saddam Hussein whose ousting he seems to regret.
A freedom-lover and a freedom-denier. You are right to provide opposing arguments and let your readers decide. - Yours, etc,
TONY ALLWRIGHT, Killiney, Co Dublin.
Madam, - "No blood on US hands in Iraq's Civil War", states Charles Krauthammer (February 5th) - as if anyone would be silly enough to suggest such a thing! The continuing positive news from American sources about the tidying up of the remaining pockets of insurgency in Baghdad and elsewhere suggests that the extra 20,000 fresh troops may just do the trick in advancing peace.
However, other news seems to suggest that the end game for the US-led invasion is fast approaching. Events in Afghanistan during the Russian invasion proved that supplying troops by road became too costly in respect of men and equipment lost and dependence was then placed on re-supply by air. Eventually, when losses of helicopters became a daily affair, this helped the Russian decision to abandon their foreign adventure.
It is also possible that material supplied to the Afghan rebels by accommodating Western powers has not yet passed its sell-by date and has found its way to Iraq, where four US helicopters were shot down in the past two weeks. - Yours, etc,
ARTHUR DUNNE, Blackrock, Co Dublin.
Madam, - Cúrsaí ola, cúrsaí fola. - Yours, etc,
GABRIEL ROSENSTOCK, Gleann na gCaorach, Co Átha Cliath.