SIR - In his eagerness to point out that coalition forces have killed a lot of civilians in Iraq, Saqib Al Mirza conveniently fails to mention that the insurgents have murdered many more (T&A, September 4).

He is right to say that it's about time people started talking to each other but he should tell that to those who are indoctrinating nave fundamentalists to become suicide bombers in the belief they will achieve martyrdom and the Taliban in Afghanistan whose only aim is to regain power whatever the cost in lives.

The odds are you won't find a martyry in either of these countries inscribed with the names of those who have foolishly thrown away their lives.

The vast majority of citizens in both countries don't support these so-called resistance fighters. They want the carnage to stop so that their democratically-elected governments can get on with running their countries, thus enabling foreign troops to move out and give them a chance to rebuild their lives in peace.

David Rhodes, Croscombe Walk, Bradford