MIDDLE EAST

YOUR comment (Echo, Mar 4) lacks substance in suggesting we should become involved in the Israeli and Palestinian crisis and ignore the threat posed by Saddam and the Taliban leadership.

Tony Blair was given a bloody nose when he attempted to broker a deal, so it seems rather nave and an error of judgement to suggest we get involved in what is an attempt by the Arabs to destabilise the American attempt to rid us of al Qaida and its evil.

If the will is there then peace and a settlement will be achieved, otherwise the thought of sending British troops or more resources to solve the issue is simply a fruitless PR exercise.

We hear continually of Western interference, which would suggest if they wish to rule with the gun, then who are we to interfere?

Your prophesy of Armageddon is an issue the Arabs and Israeli people must face and an issue Britain must consider with forethought. - John Young, Crook.

EUROPE

THERE are lies, damn lies and UKIP statistics. Mr Wilson (HAS, Feb 25) claims all manner of things might be done with Britain's net contribution to the European Union (which he greatly exaggerates).

What he doesn't take into account is the increase in bankrupt farmers (47 per cent of whose income comes from the EU) or the 140,000 workers in the region who would be in danger of going on the dole (because of their employers' demand on exporting to Europe) if we followed his advice and withdrew from the EU.

It has been a major plank in European peace since 1945 when the third pan European war in 70 years ended. Whatever the cost of the EU, it seems cheap to me to ensure that my children and grandchildren haven't had to die in some corner of Europe as so many did before. - Robin Ashby, Secretary, North East in Europe.

THANK you Mr Wilson, of the United Kingdom Independence Party, (HAS, Feb 25).

The citizens of this country should know of the huge amounts of money paid into the EU supposedly on their behalf. What goes out far outstrips any grants that come back.

Yes indeed, many of our social problems, such as those Mr Wilson lists, could be eased, even removed if we kept that money at home and used it for our own benefit.

This is not being selfish or greedy. Time enough to give freely and help others out when our own house is put in order. No one can deny that there are massive problems to be tackled and millions of pounds needed to effect the changes, repairs and improvements necessary. - EA Moralee, Billingham.

FOX HUNTING

ONCE again fox hunting rears its ugly head. It is time this barbaric sport was banned once and for all.

Cries that jobs will be lost and hounds and horses destroyed are ridiculous - no true animal lover would have their animals destroyed just because they cannot hunt.

Farriers, saddle makers, feed merchants, etc will always be needed.

Mercifully, the prey often makes a desperate escape - can any true animal lover tell me chasing any animal to near exhaustion merely for the excitement is humane?

Many years ago I enjoyed drag hunting where horse and hounds followed a scent. For those seeking the thrill of the chase, this is a much more acceptable way of satisfying one's need for excitement.

Many of those who attend hunts are townies themselves, ignorant of rural issues and who often only get in the saddle during the hunting season.

During one televised debate, I even heard a ten-year-old child, who spoke rather nicely, saying that the fox actually enjoyed being chased.

Excuse me, but have I missed something? - Fiona Rolfe, Crook.

FLUORIDE

IN both your Golden Health supplement (Echo, Feb 20) and in another recent report, I was saddened to see yet again the outdated fallacy that fluoride might prevent tooth decay is still being pushed on to us, despite more recent scientific evidence showing that fluoride is both unsafe and ineffective in preventing tooth decay.

The fluoride used in these so-called health measures is, in fact, a highly toxic industrial waste scraped from the scrubbers of industrial chimneys. It is both costly and difficult to dispose of safely as it has a toxicity rating between that of lead and arsenic.

For years, it has been used as a rat poison. It is also the essential killing agent in pesticides.

Is this really what you want to put into children's milk and drinking water? It is time this silly and dangerous idea is laid to rest forever. - A Hall, Darlington.

CHARITY WALK

I WOULD like to encourage you to don your walking boots and take part in a sponsored walk for Breakthrough Breast Cancer on Sunday for the charity's annual Mother's Day Crocus Walks.

This year, there's an opportunity to double the amount of money raised by the walks as Norwich Union will match the amount raised as part of a three-year partnership with Breakthrough.

Now, every step you take towards helping Breakthrough move towards its vision of a future free from the fear of breast cancer, Norwich Union will help to take the charity one step closer.

Breast cancer claims the lives of over 1,000 women a month in the UK and, as a result, many of us have experience of family and friends being affected by the disease. Mothers Day is a great opportunity to get together with family and friends and raise funds for Breakthrough's programme of research.

For more information on how to organise a walk, or to find out whether a walk is organised in your area, please call the Crocus Walk hotline on 020 7557 6622