FROM time immemorial men of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines have been this country's finest ambassadors.

They have toured the world and impressed nations with their willingness to help in all sorts of catastrophes.

In Lord Horatio Nelson's prayer, written before the battle of Trafalgar, it plainly states: "And may humanity after victory be the predominant feature of the British Fleet."

In the Second World War, Admiral Andrew Cunningham, after sinking three enemy ships in the battle of Matapan, disregarded the danger of giving away the position of his fleet and signalled the enemy government to give them the compass bearing of the battle and request they send ships to save the unfortunate survivors.

This week in the Iraq conflict, the fighting arm of the Royal Navy - the Royal Marines - took off their fearsome-looking protective clothing and body armour and replaced steel helmets with their famous Green Beret.

A simple enough action, but it displayed a genuine intention to be helpful and friendly to the civilian population of war-torn Iraq.

The Navy's Marines are living up to their finest traditions.

Bernard Hallas,

Hawthorne Avenue,

Haxby, York.

...I WISH to reply to all the sceptics who have attacked York MP Hugh Bayley and accused him of doing a U-turn on the war in Iraq.

Like the rest of us, Mr Bayley would have liked any aggression against Saddam Hussein to have been carried out with United Nations agreement.

Unfortunately, the French and Russians, who have the right of veto, got their heads together and said they would use it.

Of course, they had no ulterior motive, such as having covert arms deals etc with Saddam Hussein's government.

Mr Bayley was placed in an awkward situation. Did he support the Government, as a loyal party member, or turn his back on them, the Armed Forces and their families?

No, he did the correct and courageous thing, he voted to back his country, its leaders and all its military personnel. Something that all the people of this country should be doing.

We are now committed to removing an evil dictator who has committed atrocities that can never be forgiven, so accept the fact and give support, not criticism.

C R Leeman,

Bouthwaite Drive,

Acomb, York.

...I GET tired of watching Mr Blair and other Cabinet ministers drape themselves in the flag.

If they really cared about the troops why has the Government been in such denial about Gulf War Syndrome, from the first Gulf War?

The people suffering from this should receive the best compensation and benefits package possible, especially with regard to future cases, if they occur, in this Gulf War.

If you want to boost the troops' morale, why not give them a decent pay rise as well - say 20 per cent?

However, I still do not support this war. UN weapons inspector Hans Blix wanted more time to do his job, but was denied this by Tony Blair and Jack Straw, who gave the impression they were gagging for blood, rather than a truly peaceful solution.

By the way, where are the weapons of mass destruction Mr Blair claimed this war was all about?

Chris Clayton,

Hempland Drive, York.

...Like that of the Second World War, the declared aim of the US fighting Iraq is to make the world safe for "democracy".

Curiously, Robin Cook resigned as Foreign Secretary over this issue having only recently declared it is "democracy" which gives the Government its legitimacy.

Since, by definition, party democracy is republicanism (where people elect their own government) then presumably President Saddam Hussein and his ruling Ba'ath party are already legitimate?

So why the attack?

The British public is not sure. Some favour the war aims. Those against the war know they are helpless to stop it and cannot refuse to pay the taxes to pay for Blair to go to war. This suggests to me that it is the legitimacy of democracy into which Robin Cook and the rest of us urgently need to inquire.

Seventy years ago Adolf Hitler came to power democratically. It is clear from Hitler and Saddam Hussein that because democracy gives the majority party the power to make any law and exert any force it likes against its citizens (even though, as in our case, it is subtle and gradual as opposed to swift and brutal), this corruption of the English idea of the "rule of law" into "rule by law" makes democracy a very suspect system.

Martin Cruttwell,

Hamilton House,

Scrayingham, York.

Updated: 10:42 Wednesday, April 09, 2003