The only practical way of supporting our troops is to bring them back now.

Our boys' lives should not be sacrificed for George W Bush's re-election campaign, based on the principle "Have a war, wrap yourself in the flag and people will vote for you".

It was obvious to me before the event - why was it not obvious to Tony Blair? - that Saddam Hussein's only option was to fight in urban areas and for his troops to melt with civilian populations, resulting in British deaths and civilian massacres.

Could not Blair see he would create a reservoir of hatred towards us, spread throughout the Islamic and Arab world, and that, after the war itself, our troops' peace-keeping duties will leave them easy targets for guerrilla attack?

British people throughout the world will be endangered for years to come, everyone in this country is in greater danger of terrorism, religious extremism is fertilised, and hatred and violence fed.

Blair's only achievement will be to turn Saddam, an evil tyrant, into a national hero, leaving a legacy of violence that will outlive him and his regime.

Blair's much-vaunted Christianity will have created only death, destruction, pestilence, starvation and misery.

We, the public, will pay in blood and money. Public services will be further starved, the economy damaged, and pensions and savings threatened and reduced.

Under the circumstances, the least Blair can do is to pledge his premier's salary plus the future millions he will receive for interviews, lecture tours and articles and any biographical royalties, especially from the US, to charities to help the families of our troops he has sent to death.

The least his Christian wife, who canvassed MPs to vote for war, should do is to waive all fees or costs awarded that are incurred from public funds.

Blair's pension and Cherie's otherwise considerable income would still allow them to live in great comfort.

They - unlike the Iraqis and ourselves - will have paid a small price for the injury they have been party to.

-Oscar Thompsett,Ridgeside Avenue, Patcham