Madam, - Your edition of March 4th carries the view of the author Steven Poole that "war on terror" is the single most successful phrase at manipulating public opinion on a complex conflict.
A report on page 10 of that edition uses the same phrase, "war on terror", in both the headline and body of a report on President Bush's visit to India.
The decision not to enclose the phrase in quotation marks suggests that you accept the validity of this construction of geopolitical events. Had you enclosed the phrase in quotation marks it would suggest that you view it as a construction promoted by one protagonist (the United States).
Does The Irish Times favour a particular style in using this politically loaded phrase? And if so, what has determined the choice? - Yours, etc,
DENIS HEALY, Devon Park, Salthill, Galway.