SIR: I refer to the letter by Cllr Peter Johnston (Points of view, May 13). It seems he continues to follow what is becoming the party line of the Blairite spin doctors.

Scornful of history, they are not at ease with it except when it suits their purpose to be so. The length of time since WWII is not a get-out clause for what went on.

Time is not always a healer and 50-odd years in the history of a nation is nothing. It is a 140 years now since Lincoln made his profound observation, the closing words of which were, "You cannot fool all the people all the time".

Policy makers at national and some at local levels should remember that. As for the councillor's own closing words "war is not an occupation for nice people", those of us who have been there, seen it, done it, would say Amen to that. Because he does show more than a modicum of humanitarianism we must not rush to accuse him personally, merely remind him that it is politicians like him who send nice people to war, and many do not come back.

T T Mellows

Hughes Avenue, Horwich

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