SIR - I believe that the people who support the war think it is only a few unfortunate Iraqi civilians who will suffer while they remain in the comfort of their UK and US homes.

These individuals should realise their own families will suffer. There are numerous casualties of war: the people who die, those people who are injured, the soldiers who return home without realising that they've lost the plot.

It is only the very young or the very sheltered who don't realise that evil is repaid even if it is via the loss of peace within our own minds.

Dropping huge bombs, killing innocent children, playing God, polluting the world with destruction, developing paranoid fears in young, impressionable soldiers is evil whether it be from Saddam, Bush or Blair, and payback time will come.

Blair is an intelligent man and the loss of peace within his own mind currently is a warning that injustice is occurring.

Unfortunately for low-intelligence Bush, he has no such warning indicator and by the time he realises the Hell he is creating for himself it will sadly be too late.

Saeeda Naz, Elwyn Road, Bradford 5

SIR - And I used to think Americans were stupid. Not any more! They will destroy Iraq and then rebuild it. American companies already have the rebuilding contracts. The rest of the world, via the United Nations, will fund the rebuilding.

A transfer of huge sums of money from the rest of the world to the United States. What a brilliant way to kick-start the failing US economy!

No great incentive to spare any part of the Iraqi infrastructure . The more they destroy the more they will earn in rebuilding profits. And then there's all that cheap oil which the US will look after "on behalf of the Iraqi people"! Absolutely brilliant!

Just one thing - how much is Britain's share in this scam?

K Trocki, Birchdale, Bingley

SIR - The residents of Bradford who are protesting about the war in Iraq and chaining themselves across the streets of main roads should think again. If they were in Baghdad the traffic would not stop, the police or army would have no hesitation but to keep the traffic moving with them in the way or not!

If our liberation of Iraq succeeds then maybe they too will be free to protest. The present demonstrators may not agree with politics behind the war, but for now they should give our servicemen and women our support and let them know we are behind them.

The actions of the protesters may filter back to the Gulf. Can they imagine how morale-draining this would be for the troops?

John Taylor, Stonecroft, Eccleshill

SIR - While I was pleased to hear Tony Blair's statement of March 14 about two side-by-side states, Pakistan and Israel, in the Middle East, I don't believe a word he or Bush say. Who do they want to fool?

They've been quick to see small children killing Israelis with stones but couldn't see mass murderers who have been killing innocent people including children every day for more then 50 years, occupied Palestinian territory and bulldozing Palestinians' houses with the people inside them. The UN didn't even dare to put a foot near due to Israel's orders.

The US have already killed thousands of innocent Afghanis for the sake of oil pipes. They imposed unreasonable and unnecessary sanctions against Iraq for years to store oil for them and they want it all now.

They must sort out outstanding resolutions about Palestine and Kashmir passed by the UN over 50 years ago.

Democracy and international law are in danger. It will take decades to repair the damage unless Bush and Blair stop their madness.

Mubarik Iqbal, Oulton Terrace, Bradford

SIR - When the PM was confronted by an audience of women on TV recently, many justified grievances were put to him and I thought he handled the situation well.

One however, the wife of the local "human shield," shouted at him that Iraq was a poor country so how could it have weapons of mass destruction?

How do all the poor countries afford their armies and defence bills? By depriving their people of course.

I read today that the US is trying to block Saddam's personal fortune which may be as much as 4.1 billion dollars! There is the answer.

P E Bird, Nab Wood Terrace, Shipley.

SIR - You are in danger of endorsing this illegal, unjustified and immoral war against a sovereign state (T&A Comment, March 20).

It is misleading to suggest that the aim is to get rid of a "military dictator whose record of atrocities" compelled us to take action.

There are plenty of dictators and kings of cruelty in the Middle East not to mention Israel, which has been armed with weapons of mass destruction, continues to defy the UN and international opinion and has committed naked aggression against neighbouring states.

This is America's war of vengeance for the atrocity of September 11, and British troops are being used to fight someone else's war.

Despite your optimism this war is not going to end swiftly until the aims are met.

Liberation of Iraqis and introduction of democracy is just a pretext to keep the noise down. Democracy in the Arab world does not suit the US. Turkey has proved this point. Had there been a democratic regime in Kuwait today the US would not have got military bases there.

Let us protest in the strongest possible terms against those Bradford politicians who have betrayed the cause of peace by siding with wrongdoers.

Azmat A. Khan, Killinghall Road, Bradford

SIR - I address this letter to all the people, especially the children, who have demonstrated against the war with Iraq.

There are thankfully very few people who want war. Have these demonstrators given any thought to what life is like under a dictator? They enjoy freedom and can't even start to imagine what deprivation is.

Where were all these people when they were needed to make their voices heard against the atrocities meted out to thousands of Iraqi people?

Many of Saddam Hussein's family left their country to denounce what Saddam was doing in Iraq. They made known the extent of his production of chemical warfare. Saddam promised his family safety with no reprisals if they returned to Iraq. They believed him and returned and he executed them.

There are those who have tried for 12 long years to encourage this man to act like a human. All their efforts have fallen on deaf ears.

One man only caused this war - Saddam Hussein.

E W Bennett, Belmont Crescent, Low Moor.

SIR - Now that our defence forces are at war, they deserve everyone's support and prayers.

My thoughts at this time are especially with the airmen of RAF Leeming, the soldiers of the Duke of Wellington Regiment and the Dragoon Guards, and the sailors and airmen of HMS Ark Royal, all of whom I visited personally when I was Lord Mayor of Leeds, and many of whom are natives of Otley and Wharfedale.

My thoughts are also with the innocent civilians who get caught up in a war that was not of their choosing.

Councillor Graham Kirkland, Westgate, Otley.

SIR - I am backing Tony Blair all the way. He is a good leader.

I am proud to support him, and all the brave troops who go into battle for their country, also all their worried families. God bless them.

Saddam Hussein is a cruel bully who has no regard for human life, as he is so evil to his own people.

Sue Lynch, Bingley Road, Lees Moor.

SIR - So, Karl Dallas the human shield, right, is back. It would appear that his trip went belly up, unless the purpose of his visit to Iraq was, in fact, to abandon his principles and scarper back to the bosom of his safe, understanding home in the land of the aggressor at the first sign of having to shield anything from bombardment.

Mr Dallas wants to consider himself fortunate that he doesn't have to come back home to a country where his viewpoints and principles at the time of war would be met with a bullet or noose rather than open arms. The same cannot be said of the country he has just fled.

Dave Hobbins, Gain Lane, Bradford 3