Sir, - So the free, democratic Western world has been forced once again into the insanity of air-strikes, sending its war planes on deadly missions to rain death and destruction from the skies over Yugoslavia. NATO leaders will doubtless vindicate their decision to punish Milosevic by contending that, in choosing the lesser of two evils, one must first make war before making peace. But unfortunately, as in all warfare, it is inevitably the innocent - women and children, the poor and the elderly - who suffer most.
It is indeed tragic that no peaceful alternative could be found to avoid the appalling pain, suffering and loss of life of ordinary civilians who have nothing to do with the conflict. It is tragic too that after centuries of bloodshed, mankind has not learned the utter futility of war, that there are never any winners, and that while little may sometimes be gained, much is lost forever.
In our own small country, where a fragile peace is at last in sight, entrenched attitudes threaten it, with both sides grimly holding on to polarised points of view, as if semantics mattered at this stage in the wider scheme of things. Have these people ever thought that in 50 years' time, they will be nothing more than names in history? But history will judge them harshly if they squander this opportunity for peace and reconciliation.
Now that we are in Holy Week, when we commemorate the passion and death of one who came among to bring peace to a troubled world, would it not be fitting to silence and banish the guns, bombs and weaponry forever, and let us all learn at last to live in friendship and harmony together? - Yours, etc., Vera Hughes,
Moate, Co Westmeath.