Now that the occupation of Iraq has the backing of the United Nations, having collectively decided to both help finance it and provide troops, it seems that a number of correspondents persist in living in the past.

It is no longer a question of whether Iraq should be occupied but how long the troops should be there and how should they behave.

No reasonable person could disagree that the lives of the Iraqi people should be made more secure and increasingly comfortable under a democratic form of government they have fashioned.

The question now is what measures can be taken to accelerate the process.

It would be more constructive if those who rush to protest about past decisions were to put forward useful suggestions as to what might be done now - such as publishing a sensible date for troops to be withdrawn - unless the overwhelming body of Iraqis clearly demonstrate their wish that some should remain.

-Reg Jenkins, Hove