Madam, Defining times are rare, but the war on Iraq is undoubtedly one such epoch. To my surprise it came upon me without any real warning - not the war, but the overwhelming sense of outrage that accompanied it. I can think of almost no other time in my 45 years that I have felt such a sense of righteous anger.
To quell this, I march, I write and I redefine. More accurately, I am redefined. Me and mine are redefined.
People I have known all my life have become strangers overnight; people I had little time for in the past have become people I speak with every day.
There is so little that we can do to stop this travesty of human justice, but what little we can, we must. Like I said, I march. It's such a small thing in the face of such enormity, but, something.
All my relationships are now redefined into two clear and distinct groups: those who do something, however small, and those who talk about it, make their excuses and do nothing. My sense is that the latter are in some way colluding in this atrocity - they have all but gone from me; I do not recognise them. Who are these people who do nothing? - Yours, etc.,
SHEILA FOGARTY, Avoca, Wicklow.
Madam, - On Morning Ireland (March 26th), David Hanley said the Americans and British caused the war in Iraq. Later that morning, on the Pat Kenny show, Paul Durcan intoned about the war as the "American reign of terror in Iraq". I respect them both as fair-minded men. On this occasion, their intended fair-mindedness seems to me to have run to bias.
This bias feeds into the sometimes unjust criticism of the American and British governments, characterising Bush and Blair as the villains of this tragic war and, by implication, Hussein as a victim of it. If that criticism hardens and Hussein prevails, it should ultimately characterise him as the hero of it.
There are, of course, occasional passing references to Hussein as a brutal dictator. It seems to me that they are getting lost, however, in among other things, the mob hysteria into which some of the peace marches and demonstrations descend.
There is one hard fact that should redress any imbalance in the reporting of the war and in the marching and demonstrating against it: Bush and Blair are determined, and have demonstrated their determination, to minimise collateral damage and the loss of innocent civilian life. Hussein, on the other hand, is determined and has demonstrated his determination, to maximise collateral damage and the loss of innocent civilian life.
Meanwhile, Hussein continues to smile, as he said he would; I continue to despair, as I hoped I wouldn't. - Yours etc.,
BRIAN MCGRATH, Silver Pines, Brewery Road, Blackrock, Co Dublin
Madam, - At a time when government by the people seems to be suffering abroad at the hands of the Bush Administration, and at home by the arrogant and dismissive actions of the present government; I thank God, Allah and the management of The Irish Times for journalists of the calibre of Lara Marlowe .Yours, etc.,
KAREN MC DONNELL, Portobello, Dublin 8
Madam, - For a drama critic, you would expect Fintan O'Toole to have a finer sense of irony in his column last week (March 25th). He delights in pointing out the cruelties and tyrannical acts carried out by the allies of the US. But two can play that game.
No doubt much of the anti-war camp also see themselves as the potential saviours of "the civilised world". Unfortunately, at their head are France and Russia, two countries with very dubious records.
Russia, for instance, has for years carried out a cruel war in Chechnya with far less regard for civilian life and human rights than the US and its allies are showing in Iraq. There have been no peace marches, protests or much column-inches from righteous commentators on Chechnya . From the war in Algeria to the Rwandan genocide, France has an abysmal record on human rights in Africa, from which Mr O'Toole averts his eyes as he joyously points out the faults of the countries that support the US. He will no doubt argue that the merits of the anti-war case should not be judged on the records of France and Russia. But is not the same true of the pro-war case and the records of its supporters? - Yours, etc.,
TOBY JOYCE, Balreask Manor, Navan, Co Meath
Madam, - It's a bit thick for the US and UK armies to start complaining about the opposition forces using guerrilla tactics in response to the unimaginable western military might destroying their cities and towns daily. To quote Fluther, ".... an' he wants us to fight fair! D'ye want us to come out in our skins an' throw stones?" - Yours, etc.,
ARTHUR DUNNE, Blackrock, Co Dublin.
Madam, - It now appears that Bush and Blair are caught between Iraq and a hard place! - Yours, etc.,
EUGENE KAVANAGH, Templeshannon, Enniscorthy, Co Wexford.
Madam, - I've always believed in a higher power but if those fundamentalist, Christian bigots in the White House believe in God, then I'm thinking it over! - Yours, etc.,
DERMOT O'SHEA, Meadow Grove, Churchtown, Dublin 16.