GIVEN the comments made in her resignation speech, one wonders how Clare Short remained in Cabinet so long, let alone not resigning before the war on Iraq.
She repeated the oft-heard charge that Tony Blair runs a presidential- style of Government. However, given the way Blair and Alastair Campbell operate, a more accurate corollary would be with a French king and his cardinal.
She accused Blair of being too concerned with his place in history. Had she delivered such a speech before the Commons vote on the Iraq war, his place in history might now have been sealed.
Richard Lamb,
Greystoke Road, York.
...THE resignations of Robin Cook and Clare Short from the Government were because of the Iraq issue. Cook and Short worked in foreign affairs, so they must have insight into the reasons for, and consequences of the American-British invasion of Iraq.
The intentions of the American-British alliance to be the sole authority in Iraq could prove disastrous.
If, 12 months from now, Iraq doesn't have a government freely elected by the Iraqi people, they would be justified in seeking an Arab state coalition to take up arms against the American-British occupation.
Bombing, first Afghanistan and then Iraq, hasn't prevented such as Al-Qaida from continuing to pursue their aims. The recent attack in Saudi Arabia would be nothing compared to what may happen in future, with the American and British mainlands prime targets for Islamic extremists.
Colin S Jeffrey,
East Mount Road, York.
Updated: 10:23 Friday, May 16, 2003
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