DICK Reynold?s letter last week puts the question ?Why attack Iraq?. The reason is oil.

To maintain the American way of life, the USA has to control the world?s oil supply. Iraq is sitting on one tenth of the planet?s oil reserves.

Demand for oil grows daily. By 2004/5 demand will outstrip supply. Probably around 2020 the world?s supply of oil will have run out. Before that date, oil prices will rocket, along with probable conflict.

Many of the Texan oil-field have been shut down, to re-open as supplies dwindle. The USA, by threatening Iraq, is making a statement to us all; do not attempt to interfere with our supply of oil in any way. Now or in the future.

My son, now living in Kansas, USA, is currently paying the equivalent of 20p a litre for petrol.

There is of course another threat to world peace, increasing demand for water, with no increase in supply.

Dennis Young

Burn Lane House

Brentor

TAVISTOCK people of my age will recall the time after the second war, when small boys would chant this verse , the last two lines of which were:

?The Yanks are flying Fortresses at forty thousand feet,

And there won?t be war no more!?

Sad, isn?t it ?

George Swayne

Lower Creason

Horndon

WHATEVER the pros and cons of the situation with Iraq, I was astonished to read a letter (September 26) equating Israel with Iraq, as being a terrorist state.

When do we see Israeli children stoning Palestinian policemen, being indoctrinated into hatred for the Arabs, or schooled to become suicide bombers and kill innocent Palestinians? We don?t.

These and many other atrocities (only a small percentage of which ever get reported in the Western press) are inflicted upon Israel by Muslim militants.

What is Israel expected to do ? just sit and take it until the Arab?s desire for her annihilation comes to fruition?

Israel is not perfect, though she often shows great kindness towards Palestinian people, but she does not initiate aggression. Her actions are in response to atrocities inflicted upon her citizens, with their security in mind. Israel is no threat to her Arab neighbours.

If terrorist acts were to cease tomorrow there would be peace immediately.

Terence Scarborough

1 Uplands

Tavistock