I WAS stunned by the news of British and US air strikes against Iraq at this time of "peace and goodwill to all men".

I have written to the Bolton Evening News several times pointing out a more effective solution to crime and conflict such as that in Northern Ireland or the Middle East.

The research on the effect of large groups practising Maharishi's Transcendental Meditation and T"idhi Programme including Yogic Flying has been published in the best scientific journals, and well publicised demonstrations have taken place both in the Merseyside area and Washington DC. It is not a case of wishful thinking to expect this approach to prove as effective in Iraq as it has elsewhere.

There is a clear moral obligation on our political leaders to use this alternative to violence. Right thinking people everywhere are sick of sabre rattling and bloodshed in the name of peace. "He who lives by the sword will die by the sword" and "As you sow, so shall you reap" are long established phrases which are echoed in many cultures around the world. They mean that what you do always rebounds on you.

Furthermore, it is hypocritical to call for peace, without violence in Northern Ireland on the one hand while with the other hand we are dropping bombs in the Persian Gulf. We in Britian know better than anyone that military force was ineffective and costly in Northern Ireland and will prove so anywhere. The scientifically proven solution proposed by the Natural Law Party, which does not involve violence, has been on the table for well over a decade and that is what we should use.

Many innocent civilians have died in this bombing. Instead of doing the deed by remote, using our young men and women in the military, I would question whether either Tony Blair or Bill Clinton could have comfortably stood in front of these men, women and children of Iraq and pulled the trigger themselves. I expected Tony Blair in particular, considering himself a devout Christian as he does, to show better moral judgement, especially at this time of the year.

I am very disappointed and ashamed that my country is a party to this atrocious lack of good judgement.

Best wishes for the New Year to you and your staff.

Lewis Walch

Natural Law Party, Bolton Branch

c/o 29 Cross Street, Farnworth, Bolton?

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.