I WOULD like to take issue with a number of points relating to Tony Blair's role in the action against the oppressive and cruel Iraqi regime made by Peter Nielsen (You Say, Saturday, March 29).

Mr Nielsen's first point was that "in splitting Europe into two camps on the Iraq issue, he (Blair) has made a sinister link between American military power and the future direction of European economic policy."

What utter nonsense! The mind of the conspiracy theorist will, and all too often, conjures up sinister links wherever policies or actions conflict with the values of that individual or pressure group.

In reality, the UN, which obviously counts several European countries in its ranks, including France and Germany, has allowed Saddam Hussein's tyranny to go largely unchecked in Iraq for 12 years.

The UN has permitted him to play brinkmanship and flout UN resolution after UN resolution.

Basic rules or laws form the basis of civilisation, and where they are not enforced, despotic regimes like that in Iraq thrive.

All it takes for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing, which is precisely what our European counterparts in France and Germany are proposing.

I wonder why Mr Nielsen chooses to blame our Prime Minister for causing the split in Europe, and not the French or German governments, or why he makes no allusion to the not insubstantial financial interests France has in Iraq?

No country is perfect, but from my experience of the European social model, I would rather take my chances with the USA.

Perhaps then we wouldn't find the "human rights" of criminals undermining justice in this country.

I think that France has a good deal more to worry about in aligning itself with China and Russia, hardly the bastions of social justice, than Britain does in its alliance with the United States.

WIL RICHARDS,

Worcester.