16 MARCH 2002, Page 38

Unfair to the Saudis

From Sir James Craig

Sir: I have the disadvantage, in Mark Steyn's eyes, of being a former ambassador to Saudi Arabia, a country (I would guess) in which he has never set foot. Allow me to say that his article Mown with Saudi Arabia', 9 March) is ignorant twaddle. Far worse than that, its tone is wretchedly coarse, cheap and vulgar, totally out of character for a serious magazine, and brings to mind the emetic rantings of Julius Streicher. There are many things wrong with Saudi Arabia, but Mr Steyn is not the man to describe them.

James Craig

Witney, Oxfordshire