Sir, - It is very important in times of emotional crises for the voice of reason to prevail. John Waters usually represents that voice. However in his article of October 1st he has allowed emotionalism to get the better of him on at least two counts.
He states of the terrorist attacks of September 11th: "The ferocity, cunning, callousness and inhumanity of the attacks surpassed anything we have seen." Mr Waters has obviously forgotten the Holocaust of the second World War where the atrocities committed against the Jewish people in terms of ferocity, cunning, callousness and inhumanity, were far in excess of what happened on September 11th. How easily we forget.
Mr Waters also states that "the United States is morally entitled to respond to these attacks, in whatever way its leaders, having taken due counsel and after appropriate reflection, decide". Of course Mr Waters will realise on reflection that this statement is patently untrue.
For example what if the American leaders decided that the elimination of all Arab peoples is required?
The point is that there are limits to the response which America is morally entitled to make. America must operate within the confines of international law. Not to do so would be to resort to the tactics of the terrorist. - Yours, etc.,
John Lacken, Drumkeeran, Co Leitrim