Madam, - Well said, Paul Carroll (October 8th) for highlighting the undignified tactics employed in certain quarters when trying to dismiss factual argument.
It should come as no surprise, though. If one were to recall events from the past year and how the various reasons given to justify the Iraqi invasion have fallen by the wayside one can see that facts are seen as troublesome trivia by those trying to impose their ideals on the world.
Let there be no doubt that the world is a better place without Saddam in power, but both a British prime minister and a US president have effectively had lies perpetrated to achieve this aim. The attack on the BBC after the Hutton report now seems all the more ironic given the recent confirmation of the lack of WMD in Iraq.
The American constitution is one of the most enlightened documents produced for governance; it's a pity its current and recent protectors have abused it for their own ends. The American people deserve better. - Yours, etc.,
BARRY WALSH, Church Road, Blackrock, Cork.