Ivor Roberts gives an excellent synopsis of the labyrinthine complexities of the Middle East today (The Tablet, 15 August).
Perhaps he is too hard on the government of Syria, "President Assad's murderous regime".
Tragically, the highest standards of conduct are not observed by authorities in the region. We all probably know of Hafaz Assad's bombing of Hama, and allegations of Syrian complicity in the murder of Rafiq Hariri.
As is often held against us in the West, our own record here is not so good that we can lecture without inconsistency, whether diplomats, clerics or laity.
I must confess to (limited) special pleading; my Christian friends in Syria many years ago when I was a sometimes visitor spoke highly of the Alawite Government and told me they had never known such peace and security. Sadly for them those days have gone away.
Perhaps we should still hesitate to topple rulers of whom we disapprove and limit our actions to criticism and persuasion.
Peter Gerrard, Co Tipperary, Ireland
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