A chara, – What a wonderfully incisive article by Breda O'Brien ("British bombing of Syria does not meet test for a 'just war'", Opinion & Analysis, December 5th) on the decision by the British parliament to start bombing Syria. I have watched the news with horror and foreboding since that decision was made. How easily the rhetoric of war has entered into media reporting. We are being shown the types of aircraft that are going to deliver the precision bombing that can apparently distinguish between an Isis fighter and a captive Yazidi woman. We are being told that we have to be prepared for the bombing campaign to take years to achieve its target. How many bombs does it take to defeat an army that is recruiting continuously from across the world? The "army" that the western allies are fighting is on their doorstep, ready to die in places like Syria, Paris or San Bernardino for some horribly misguided interpretation of religion that supports indiscriminate killing. Britain has entered what will be a vastly expensive, protracted campaign in which the only certain winner will be the arms industry. And, in the process, it has made the whole world a more dangerous place for everyone. – Yours, etc,
Dr JOAN GILLER,
Schull, Co Cork.