29/12/03

It should be an open trial where all evidence is heard in public, where lessons can be learned and the same thing not happen again.

It must not be forgotten that this man was brought to power with the help of the Americans, the CIA and others who bolstered him and his government. He was given arms and used to fight Iran for economic and political reasons.

In our own country the directors of Churchill nearly went to prison for supplying parts for super guns.

All parties bear some responsibility for the cesspit of a government they helped to create. Saddam Hussein was used to fight other people's conflicts and was armed to the teeth to do it. This may have given him the impression he was untouchable.

The international community and, more importantly, those who died and were tortured or enslaved, deserve answers and reasons why this man was given power.

The guilt for the last 40 years not only lies with Saddam Hussein, but also with those who, for their own ends, brought him to power and bolstered his government. They betrayed the Iraqi people and wider world community.

Saddam's trial should be held in an open international court. However, I very much doubt that this type of trial will not be allowed. The truth may not be palatable for some of the parties who are still around today. - Tom Mountain, South Shields.

EUROPE

GREAT news that the talks on the proposed EU constitution have broken up in disarray. At least this buys us more time to get it into Mr Blair's head that a large majority of the people of this country do not want the constitution or anything else to do with the EU for that matter. - EA Moralee, Billingham.

I NOTE that both Mr Ashby, and Mr Whittaker, (HAS, Dec 19) resort to misrepresentation in their mutual support for the EU.

Mr Ashby takes the line that those who oppose the EU are "anti-European" with a "fear of Johnny foreigner". This form of attack is wholly discredited, and is only an excuse for cogent debate, which, at every turn europhiles run from in sheer terror.

Mr Whittaker, meanwhile, draws on so called "assurances" from Jack Straw, and the openly acknowledged lies of the Heath government of 1971 to quell our fears as to the raison-d'etre of the EU.

Mr Straw's assurance that the EU has "no intention of becoming a Superstate" is somewhat at variance with the numerous quotations from EU luminaries that repeatedly tell us quite the opposite.

So Messrs Ashby and Whittaker, any time you wish to debate the facts about the EU, please set up a public forum and the UKIP will provide you with all the facts you need. - Dave Pascoe, Press Secretary, Hartlepool Branch, UK Independence Party.

LEGAL SYSTEM

WHEN will the outdated laws in this country be updated to keep up with present times? - N Tate, Darlington.

TOURISM

I AM greatly disturbed by One NorthEast's interference in the Northumbria Tourist Board.

I have been a member of the NTB for some 14 years. I have always sought their expertise and received it when needed regarding my small but buoyant business, just like many others in the Northumbrian area in my situation.

What expertise and confidence can be introduced to replace the proven good work done by our tourist board? The NTB is the best tourist board not only in Britain, but arguably in Europe. - Name and address supplied.

CONSERVATIVE PARTY

RECENTLY Richmond householders had a leaflet, In Touch, from William Hague. Many of the items mentioned were the unsolved problems of his Party when in government.

However, he does state the obvious: that there is a decline in politics and policies in this country. How true.

Many MPs of all persuasions make loads of money from writing books, television appearances, after-dinner speeches and so on. To top this we taxpayers presenting them with good wages, generous subsidies plus excellent pensions. All this and for what?

Now over his elected years, when have we heard our MP condemn the constant rise in council taxes? Is it because he doesn't want to upset the ruling Party in the county?

Again, since when did he make a major speech on then plight of pensioners?

There are many of us who like the man but much of his leaflet is "out of touch".

Perhaps he should break ranks, step aside, form a new party without the shackles of old Toryism. - George Hayes, Richmond.

HONOURS LIST

PROFESSOR Colin Blakemore is concerned that he has been denied a New Years honour because of his controversial involvement in experimenting on animals (vivisection). Animal Aid would certainly argue against awards being given for vivisection, not only because it is cruel, but because it does not benefit human health.

In the UK alone one animal is experimented on every 12 seconds. Animal experiments are unethical and unhelpful, because their results cannot reliably be applied to humans. The Director of the Coalition for Medical Progress recently stated: "Animal research will never prove a new treatment will work successfully in patients."

We must stop wasting money on experiments that do hurt animals and don't help people, and focus on methods that will yield benefits - including epidemiology, clinical observation, tissue culture, and the use of sophisticated scanners and computer simulation. Only then will medical research truly advance. - Richard Mountford, Development Manager, Animal Aid.

IMMIGRATION

I JUST want to let your readers know that our Prime Minister, Tony Blair, is going to allow thousands of gypsies from mid-Europe into our country in a few months time. They are going to be given houses and claim all benefits to the detriment of our own people. This is on top of Mr Blunkett's thousands of illegal immigrants who are claiming benefits.

I told your readers that Blair would be remembered as the man who took the "Great" out of Britain and that he will sell us out to Europe unless he was stopped. He should do the right thing and resign with all his failed cabinet and MPs who are tearing our great nation apart.

In all my years I can never at any time remember a more anti-English, anti Union Jack PM than Blair, and his puppet government. What a pity Guy Fawkes wasn't around to give them all a "lift off".

Come on Mr Blair, be a British bulldog instead of a European poodle. - F Wealand, Darlington.