THE West, particularly the US and the UK, has chosen to police Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Americans and ourselves were also involved in Somalia, Sierra Leone and Kosovo, and the US was heavily into Vietnam and Central America, notably Panama and Nicaragua.

How come we are not trying to sort out Darfur and Burma? If ever an area needed outside help it is Darfur where the Sudanese are guilty of crimes against humanity.

It seems we are selective in where we become involved and surely we are reduced in the eyes of many countries when national interests take precedence over common humanity.

Hugh Pender, Darlington.