3rd December, 2001

Dear Mr Younger-Ross,

You will share with me great sadness and apprehension about the escalating terror in Palestine. You might now agree that I was right in pleading against the bombing of Afghanistan and instead for the insertion of a peacekeeping force in Palestine, however difficult that might have been. I have been pleased to see that Menzies Campbell has spoken against extending the bombing war to other countries, particularly to Iraq, but it is very regrettable that the Liberal Democrats did not come out against the bombing of Afghanistan because of some ill-placed sense of so-called patriotism.

This letter notes that I have had no proper response to my several communications with you, and in particular I have had no written response in reply to my question as to whether cluster bombs were being used by ourselves or by our ally. I wish to know when you first placed this question before Mr. Hoon and whether you have made further requests for an answer. I need this information before I approach the Parliamentary Ombudsman.

Yours sincerely,

David S. Halpin, MB BS FRCS