Madam, - One is loath to make comparisons, but the events of the past few days differ only in scale from the actions of terrorist groups elsewhere.
The murders committed in Britain, Spain, the US, Israel and on this island, among other places, in pursuit of some "glorious" ideal are now shown in their true light. Put simply, they are the actions of people who are deranged by their hatred of those they target.
Surely it must now occur to those at the heart of the conflict on this island for over 30 years that all the posturing and prevarication must cease.
This means that the guns must be disposed of, that the continuing intimidation must cease, that the punishment beatings and maimings must stop, that the whereabouts of the disappeared must be revealed and that the politicians charged with responsibility for bringing responsible governance to Northern Ireland must work together to ensure that all these things happen. - Yours, etc.,
B. HENDERSON,
Dublin 18.
Madam, - As most of us watched the horrific events unfold at Beslan we realised that terrorism has sunk to a new and previously unimaginable depth in the slaughter of innocent children.
One probable side-effect of this terrible tragedy is that the Bush electoral campaign, which relies so heavily on the "war against terror", will receive an unintended boost.
But of course the slaughter and mutilation of the many innocent Iraqi children by the coalition forces as "collateral damage" during their unauthorised invasion of Iraq will be conveniently overlooked by the Bush-ites. - Yours, etc.,
T. FANTHOM, Newcastle, Co Wicklow.