With reference to P Russell (Letters, September 17) and his assertion that oil is the real reason behind the Iraq war, nothing could be further from the truth.
For a start, oil is not in short supply. The real problem is the refining capacity, which needs further expansion to cope with massive extra demand from countries such as China and India.
Oil coming out of a "stable" Iraq would have a less than 5p a litre affect at the pumps, whereas market forces often push the price in either direction by more than this.
America has little to gain from its involvement other than the remote possibility
of a stable region. It does not and never will control any of the oil from Iraq or have any say in how it is distributed.
However, the war was a known cost and at its worst scenario running into tens of billions of dollars a year with the possibility of long-term commitments costing even more. The real reason for the war is well documented, but apparently wrong (weapons of mass destruction).
-SP Hale, Rottingdean
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article