Madam, - Tony Allwright (September 9th), commenting on the Beslan hostage-takers, writes: "We need to hunt down such non-state actors and kill them. No excuses". This displays a mentality uncomfortably close to that of the terrorists: brute force the only answer.
Many of us would beg to differ. The policies being followed in Chechnya and elsewhere are feeding, not fighting, terrorism. The "non-state actors" could not function without a lot of support. If a fraction of the resources used in "fighting terrorism" were to be diverted to a war on the greatest enemies, inequality, poverty and disease, much of that support would fade away.
The human race being what it is, there will always be fanatics and criminals of all types. The greatest bulwark against their influence will ever be a fair and just society. - Yours, etc.,
JAMES MORAN, Knockanure, Bunclody, Co Wexford.