COUNTY Councillor Murray Naylor thinks calling for the withdrawal of British armed forces from Iraq is wrong (Letters, May 27).

He feels that by withdrawing troops we would "fail the Iraqis as well as our servicemen and women, and Britain would look ridiculous".

Most of the world sees us as worse than ridiculous already, Coun Naylor, having actively supported the American bombing, invasion and occupation of Iraq.

The past 12 months have shown our efforts "to bring stability and order there" to be misguided.

If, after June 30, the new sovereign Iraqi government asks coalition military forces to get out of that country, I imagine many servicemen and women would be delighted to return home. The American and British governments would be wise to take such an opportunity to avoid further humiliation and shame.

Colin S. Jeffrey,

East Mount Road, York.

Updated: 10:10 Thursday, June 03, 2004