WE were moved by your interview with Frances Ellerker, the mother of a soldier in the Gulf, who calls us to rally behind "our boys" (March 20).

She says servicemen "are getting feedback from home that people are against them".

We feel sympathy for Mrs Ellerker and all families in her position, and for the servicemen and women themselves.

As members of the anti-war movement we assure them we are not against them, only against the war to which they have been sent.

While it has possible good outcomes, above all removal of Saddam Hussein, we believe these are much outweighed by probable bad outcomes: death and injury of troops and civilians, a humanitarian crisis, instability in the Middle East, more terrorism against Britain, and encouragement for more wars.

Some people, such as Mrs Ellerker, say: "Now British troops are going to war, everybody should support them."

Of course they have our good wishes for their safety and well being, as does everyone affected by this war except Saddam Hussein and his supporters.

But Mrs Ellerker would like something more. A soldier's job can be dangerous and terrifying, and one compensation is the thought that what you are doing is important and worthwhile, and supported by those at home.

We understand this, and are very sad we cannot give that support. It is not by our choice that British troops are committed to a controversial war.

On the contrary, we have worked for months to try to stop this war because we believe it is a bad idea. And a bad idea doesn't become a good idea just because it is put into practice.

The best way to support our troops is to bring them home.

Patricia Brar, Margaret Vernon, John Heawood,

Eastward Avenue,

Fulford, York.

...AS a former member of the armed forces I feel very strongly that we should support our troops.

However, I fail to see how cheering them on to be killed needlessly in an unnecessary, unjust and possibly illegal war on the orders of a reckless Prime Minister who has neither domestic nor international opinion on his side can be described as supporting them.

Next Remembrance Sunday, when we may be mourning our brave servicemen and women killed in the coming weeks, which of us will be able to look a soldier's mother in the eye and tell her her son had to lose his life because the peaceful alternative for disarming the evil Saddam - UN weapons inspections - had completely failed?

Will we comfort a second Gulf War widow by assuring her the only hope left for world peace was for Bush and Blair to attack Iraq and that was why her husband died?

Saying "support the troops" is easy. I'm sure our troops had the full support of General Haig as he sent them over the top at the Somme in the First World War. But true support for our troops means doing all we can to stop their blood being shed unnecessarily.

This is our first duty to them and is why we should continue to oppose a Government which is exposing them to such great and needless danger.

Kit Bird,

The Mount, York.

...I READ the letters of both Tony Taylor and Richard Lamb (March 18) with incredulity.

Mr Taylor writes about how the anti-war demonstrators "have no right to enforce their views on anyone else", yet isn't that exactly what George W Bush and Tony Blair have done?

He also states that only "thousands have protested against war" but on one London march alone there were around two million not counting the millions around the world who also protested that day and on other demonstrations before and since.

He continues by saying "Britain is a democracy," yet the recent actions of our Prime Minister lead myself and millions of others to believe this is not the case.

I didn't vote for Bush, Britain didn't, half the USA electorate didn't, yet we are forced, by Tony Blair, to aid and abet his warmongering ways. Remind me again what the definition of a dictatorship is?

No one I have spoken with has been in any doubt Saddam has to go, but equally no one has been in any doubt that doing it the pre-emptive Bush way is morally and democratically wrong.

John Ward,

Pinfold Terrace,

Tollerton, York.

...I FULLY support the pupils from Fulford and All Saints Schools who acted on their strongly-held beliefs and walked out in protest against the war with Iraq yesterday. I hope they are an inspiration to many more.

Rowena Field,

Huntington Road, York.

...TWENTY years ago Arthur Scargill alienated the nation by taking action without the ballot which would have legitimised it. I have always wondered what possible link Tony Blair could have with the Labour movement.

Now I know!

Jeremy Muldowney,

Second Avenue,

Heworth, York.

Updated: 10:18 Friday, March 21, 2003