'Collateral damage' in Afghanistan

Madam, - Your Editorial of September 10th, " Unwinnable war in Afghanistan", notes that there is "growing popular anger over steeply rising civilian casualties in attacks on villages and US air support operations".

This reminds me of a saying in the British army during the second World War after the Normandy landings: "When the RAF fly over, the Germans duck. When the Luftwaffe fly over, the British duck. When the Yanks fly over, everyone ducks!"

This seems not to have changed, unfortunately. — Yours, etc,

JOHN STAFFORD,

Dargle Wood,

Dublin 16.