Riddle of the sands: is this World War III?

THEY shot Archduke Ferdinand in Sarajevo and we all know what happened next. One shot is all it takes. I believe World War III may well have begun. We are witnessing a degree of anarchy combined with schoolboy politics on the world stage. It is difficult to know which of the two is more dangerous.

Reading between the lines I would say the US has a mind to take on the world and Iraq is the bait to draw other nations into the conflict.

This war is provocative, controversial and illegal. No doubt the coalition forces have brought chemical weapons with them to plant on the Iraqi people in order to justify their illegal entry into that country. Opinions on the war are broad and varied. Unfortunately many are formed on the basis of distorted media coverage and propaganda.

I believe that it is the greatest single act of cowardice that the world has ever witnessed. If there is one lesson to be learnt, it is that the process of democracy must be fully recovered. Governments must act in accordance with the will of the people and must become accountable to them.

We have now reached a stage whereby governments get elected and then proceed to do what they like. Our own Government provides a classic example of this. In the present conflict, they are violating our neutrality against the wishes of the Irish people.

Imelda Kearney,

19, Rathgar Ave.,

Dublin 6.