5 APRIL 2003, Page 32

From Mr Paul Kellogg Sir: I read Colonel Dewar's article

with great interest. I agree that war is a dirty, messy business. However, there seems to be some misjudgment on the part of the US military. Dispatches of 28 March speak of an additional 100,000 troops being sent to Iraq. Why weren't these prepared earlier? Why also wasn't there a more thorough air assault on Iraqi military positions before the invasion? Yes, I know that there have been some concerns about inflicting undue civilian casualties. Still, it seems to me that pinpoint bombing has been advertised as quite efficient; unless, of course, it has been over-advertised.

War news may now be transmitted more easily and rapidly than ever before. That is also a breathtaking achievement. What I've read and seen seems fairly accurate. I think Col. Dewar is unduly harsh on media coverage; a better assessment waits to be made at the end of the campaign.

Paul Kellogg New York, USA