Sir, - Is it not time Bush, Blair and their allies and associates - including our own Government - paused to think through their attitudes towards the use of violence.
Mr Blair has for years called on the parties in the North to lay aside their weapons, turn away from violence and seek to settle their long-standing quarrels through peaceful political discussions. And surely we all applaud him for that.
Mr Bush has urged the Israelis and Palestinians to step back from violence and seek to try to reach some settlement of their long-standing quarrels through peaceful political discussions. Again surely we applaud him for that.
Yet as far as Afghanistan is concerned Bush and Blair seem more than willing to resort to violence in pursuit of their objectives - indeed they seem to be itching to strike back! And not just that, they have dismissed the idea of negotiations or discussions with the Taliban and have absolutely refused to reveal to the Taliban what George Robertson has called the "compelling evidence" of bin Laden's involvement in the appalling attacks on New York and Washington. Is there not in all of this a sneaking suspicion of the old "do as I say, not as I do" attitude? And is it any surprise that in both the North and the Middle East there are people who still see the path of violence as legitimate? - Yours, etc.,
Harry McCauley, Maynooth, Co Kildare.