THE tragedy of the fatal shooting of an 11-year-old boy in Liverpool (Echo, Aug 23) comes in the wake of numerous senseless murders committed recently.

I find it so ironic to hear our socalled leaders spouting off to all and sundry that we must keep our Armed Forces in that murderous country Iraq in order to protect democracy when it seems that we in this country appear to be slipping into a severe state of lawlessness.

Our so-called leaders had better wake up and start governing the "streets" or I fear the population of this once proud country may have to do it for them.

Adrian Cunningham, Willington, Crook, Co Durham.