Terror's grim reality
From Mr David Todd
Sir: I agree with Mark Steyn's view (Death wish', 22 February) that there appears to be an Islamic involvement in most current conflicts and attacks. While we can understand the nature of terrorism as carried out by the IRA or ETA, which are known organisations with clear objectives, Islamic attacks are all the more frightening because of their random nature.
Given, however, that these terrorists may live anywhere, surely attacking individual countries will only make the situation worse, I suggest that, at present, Britain and the US are no more likely to be attacked by Iraq than by Iceland. When the proposed war starts, however, many more direct attacks may be expected on our cities by way of reprisal, as well as an influx of refugees which will increase the Islamification of Europe which Steyn fears.
I do not wish to fall into the trap of equating George Bush with Saddam Hussein; I would certainly prefer to live under the rule of the former than the latter. I do, however, consider Bush to be the greater threat to world peace. After Iraq has been 'dealt with', Bush has already announced a shopping list of further countries to attack. His continuing war will only stop when he has bankrupted both his and my country to the extent that we can no longer properly defend ourselves.
David Todd
Feltham, Middlesex
From Dr D. Hawes Sir: Mark Steyn is right. This crisis is not just about a war with a tinpot dictator and some drums of chemicals hidden in the desert. That war will be over in ten days, with minimum casualties. The real enemy is not Saddam but a quite unique new brand of terrorism that is global in its reach, knows no national boundaries, is not confined to any state, and is fuelled by a fanatical and barbarous Muslim fundamentalism dedicated to the total destruction of the advanced liberal democracies. It skulks in caves and dark places, and would destroy the freedoms and tolerance developed over centuries of Western prosperity. It is a terrorism that has no conventional military structures and uses a corrupt version of Islamic religion and disaffected extremists as its key weapons. It is well-financed and utterly without compassion or humanity. Its aim is complete world domination, That is why the real war will go on for two generations, and also why it is inconceivable that we should lose it. The only mystery is why Bush and Blair do not seem able to articulate the true nature of the struggle they clearly perceive. Surely that would help them gain the full support of their respective countries.
Derek Hawes
Epping, Essex
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