Sir, - Thanks to Kevin Myers for making everything clear (An Irishman's Diary, August 28th).
War is what empires do; what their weaker opponents do is systematic cold-blooded murder. An empire may use violence to destroy an elected parliament and government; these institutions' efforts to defend themselves and to deter opposition are lumped in with freelance score-settling fomented by the general climate of lawlessness to become "an intricate killing machine".
Unable to win by methods its own public opinion will tolerate, the empire negotiates peace by threatening unrestrained war - and Mr Myers sees no unfairness! When an empire throws away its own rule-book, it should not be surprised if the enemy doesn't play the game.
One question: Since Mr Myers regards Collins as "the legal author of partition", what view does he take of the Government of Ireland Act 1920? That it was illegal, perhaps? - Yours, etc.,
Michael Drury, Avenue Louise, Brussels, Belgium.