I was most interested to read Manus McGrogan's letter "Only Bush and Blair want our troops to stay in Iraq" (October 25).

I have also asked myself how many more people must die in Iraq because of Bush's and Blair's lies.

The regime change had been arranged long before any mention of an invasion had been put before the Commons.

The phrase "weapons of mass destruction", described as being an imminent threat when no such weapons existed, was enough to get a majority vote to attack Iraq, despite the majority of the British people being opposed to it.

As the Secretary General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, said, the war was illegal and yet the blood baths continue. Thousands of innocent Iraqi civilians and children have been blown to pieces.

Is it any wonder the people of Iraq are fighting back? The majority of

Iraqis want all foreign troops to leave the country.

Tony Blair recently told the House of Commons no definite decision had been made to redeploy the Black Watch troops to the "triangle of death" but the movement of troops had clearly already been agreed upon.

Yes, Saddam Hussein was a tyrant but Margaret Hassan, director of Care International in Iraq, was safe for 30 years while he was in power. Now, because of the occupation, she is a hostage and might lose her life.

Our troops should be withdrawn from Iraq now. If and when Saddam Hussein is tried, those who are responsible for this massacre should be tried alongside him for war crimes.

John Ovenden

-Hawkhurst Road, Brighton