AMUSING as it was to find a typical Swiftian nutshell encapsulating in a quatrain the perennial shenanigans of the builders opening Seamus McKenna’s analysis of what ails us (Letters, February 3), I think he does the good dean less than justice when he claims “he had less to say about economists, probably because Adam Smith had not yet invented that particular branch of study”.

SENATOR Terry Leyden offers the view that “military neutrality is a defining feature of our country” (Letters, March 6).

‘A’ IS driving a car bomb into ‘B’s’ home town because he suspects ‘B’ is plotting to do something similar to him. He stops at ‘C’s’ filling station, tells him his intention and invites him along to facilitate negotiations and checkpoints.