THOSE who planned this war must have given some thought to the loss of life this conflict will bring to the civilians of Iraq and their armed forces.

It should be remembered the soldiers defending Iraq have families, the same as our own armed forces.

I was on active service in the Jordan valley in 1951. As I remember, Israel was out of bounds to British soldiers. Some displaced Arabs from Israel worked in our camp; they did our washing and various other jobs.

I see no end to the unrest this war will cause in that region. I cannot see British and American forces being given a welcome in Iraq, or any other place in the Middle East. This will be a war without end.

It has been reported the oil in the North Sea could run out by 2013, and in many other places by 2023, leaving America and the western world dependent on the oil coming from Iraq. There seems no real effort to find a different source of energy; the mind begins to boggle at the prospect of a world without oil.

During the Thatcher years, our mining industry was destroyed. To re-open these mines would cost billions. If our mining industry had been kept open, maybe the world's oil supply would have lasted a few years longer.

It must be remembered, unless world leaders make some real effort to find new ways of replacing oil as the main source of energy, the human race is doomed, and the clock is ticking.

Perhaps some other correspondent to this newspaper has other ideas on this subject and the war in Iraq?

L Bradburn

Nevis Grove

Astley Bridge