IRAQ

HAS the BBC's Andrew Gilligan ever expressed regret for the trouble he caused by his report about the Iraq dossier?

In the rush to discover the source of Mr Gilligan's information, many innocent people were suspected. It was imperative to find the culprit if only to protect the innocent.

Eventually Dr David Kelly came forward and admitted he might be guilty.

It is now established that Dr Kelly was the source of Mr Gilligan's information. Since then there have been cries of outrage: "Who named Dr Kelly and why?"

The answer is simple. Dr Kelly was named as the source because he was the source. Would the critics have preferred an innocent man to be named? - Jon Callan, Peterlee.

WHEN is Tony Blair going to come clean? When he first put the question of going to war to Parliament, 140 of his own MPs opposed him.

Then he dashed off to his master President Bush in America. On his return he again put the question to his MPs. They turned tail and voted to go to war.

Robin Cook, a former Foreign Secretary, and Claire Short, the overseas development minister, walked out of Mr Blair's Cabinet in disgust. Why?

It was reported (Echo, Jul 17): "Hans Blix, a chief weapons inspector, stated no weapons of mass destruction had been found and added that small pockets of anthrax could be hidden under sand, but doubted they could be made airborne in 45 minutes." - A St Julien, Durham.

THE Hutton Inquiry is going according to plan for the Government.

The real questions not within the remit of the inquiry are being conveniently ignored. We will never find out what Bush and Blair discussed and decided upon many months before the war started.

They are the real culprits in this whole nasty business - but will they get off? The political fall-out from this war is unpredictable. We can only hope that true justice will prevail. - Hugh Pender, Darlington.

WHOEVER alleged that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction has been proved correct by the carnage caused by the huge explosion which destroyed the UN headquarters in Baghdad. Let us hope that the hiding place of these weapons is discovered before any more lives are lost. - Jeremy Browne, Shotton.

SPEEDING COPS

I WOULD like to set the record straight for AJ Stevens (HAS, Aug 26).

I am not anti-police, but I am anti-speed cameras until equality has been established regardless of anyone's status.

About two years ago my sister-in-law was dying in hospital so I made my car available to the family and some friends who had relevant documents to drive it.

This was about six or seven people. I then received a speeding ticket. I was unable to ascertain who was driving, but I was made to pay.

A fortnight later my sister-in-law died. A few weeks later Detective Superintendent Adrian Roberts of Cleveland Police escaped prosecution under the same circumstances. This left a very unsavoury taste in my mouth.

I interpret Mr Stevens' letter as saying that low-paid workers should adhere to the law, but not once did he mention the two police officers should pay up as they were breaking the law.

He also says that complaints are dealt with by the police's own system - and it was that system which let off Adrian Roberts.

The only valid comment Mr Stevens made was most police officers do a good job. - A McKimm, Crook.

AJ STEVENS (HAS, Aug 26) makes so many unsustainable assumptions about the two policemen who had their speeding charges dropped that he misses the point: the questionable nature of speed cameras as a means of promoting road safety.

Any driver will say that speed cameras are a huge distraction and, as such, a traffic hazard.

Instead of lavishing praise on the police, AJ Stevens should be telling them to spend less time harassing law-abiding drivers and more time catching burglars, druggies, fine dodgers and muggers etc. - T Kelly, Crook.

IT IS not fair to brand as rats law-abiding motorists who make use of short cuts on public rights of way.

Of course we should all obey the traffic laws, especially off-duty policemen.

I live on a narrow street that used to be an over-used short cut until the phasing of the traffic lights was changed to make it less attractive.

Even while suffering this extra traffic at home, I took pride in finding short cuts when driving elsewhere, while being careful on residential roads. - John Hawgood, Durham.

THANKS

MAY I express my sincere thanks to all in the Darlington area who contributed to a house-to-house collection in March for the National Kidney Research Fund.

We raised £1,491 which will be used for research into renal disease and kidney patient care, including the provision of renal equipment and the promotion of the organ donor card.

One in five people are affected by kidney problems and 22 children each day are born with kidney related ailments. - Maureen Harbour, The National Kidney Research Fund, Huntington.

SNOW JOKE

A RECENT correspondent to Hear All Sides mentioned the severe winters of 1947 and 1963.

However, I was always given to understand that the worst two Winters since the war were Mike and Bernie.

Am I correct in this assumption? - Martin Birtle, Billingham.