Ho hum. I see Mr Spiteri's feeling the need to scratch his anti-American itch again.

Mr S has been treating us (You Say, July 12) to the interesting concept of a so-called "web of deceit" from President Bush that's both "obvious" (in which case it isn't being very effective, is it?) and "dangerous" at the same time.

By one of life's amusing little ironies I was reading Mr Spiteri's words about Mr Bush "sanctioning a plan to remove Saddam, by force if need be" about two minutes before hearing a radio interview with Dr. Rosemary Hollis, of London University, who said...no he hasn't.

But guess what - if/when Mr Bush does sanction such a plan, Jordan, Kuwait and Qatar have already declared their willingness to provide bases for it. Saddam's neighbours are in no doubt whatever about the threat he poses.

Unlike Mr Spiteri, they cannot allow themselves the luxury of pretending otherwise.

JULIAN THAKE,

Mortlake Avenue, Worcester.