12 MARCH 2005, Page 21

Nothing in the pipeline

From Michael Cecire

Sir: Michael Meacher’s flaccid charge that the Afghanistan war was in part about the Unocal pipeline (‘One for oil and oil for one’, 5 March) is just silly, especially considering that the pipeline study had been pushed by the Clinton administration and was cancelled before Mr Bush came to office. It would have been much easier to do a deal with the ruling Taleban than to engage in a costly war to overthrow the regime, occupy the country, and rebuild it with democratic institutions. And yet where is this imaginary oil pipeline now?

Michael Cecire

Richmond, Virginia, USA