If Iraq - because it has chemical, biological and nuclear weapons - is such an imminent threat to Western security that the ultimate sanction of a pre-emptive war is judged necessary, how much more urgent a threat must be whoever developed those weapons and sold them to Iraq.

If the UN can hunt down and destroy the axis of evil that cynically profited from arming a "madman" such as Saddam Hussein with weapons that shame humanity, it will be doing civilisation and the future of our children an incalculable service.

Will the real war criminals please stand up?

-R G Claughton, Old London Road. Hastings