From Mr David Stempel Ward Sir: Could it possibly be
that Emma Williams is the first journalist to take a politician's words at face value? Given the media's inability to take seriously anything uttered by our own government ministers, it seems bizarre indeed that she should read a few passages of text quoted by a foreign prime minister in a foreign newspaper and accept them as the truth.
Perhaps the words 'posturing' and 'deterrence' have not entered her journalistic lexicon. Is the notion that a prime minister talks tough when threatened with war in order to avoid attacks entirely alien to her? When faced with the all too familiar prospect of attack by Scud missiles, which self-respecting prime minister would not talk tough to deter attack? Israel's deterrent ability failed in the Gulf war, so Mr Sharon could perhaps be forgiven for trying a little harder this time. But none of this supposes, as Emma Williams glibly suggests, that Sharon somehow favours war. The possible fallout from such a war (Chemical attack? Nuclear attack? Hezbollah attack? Collapse of peace treaties with 'moderate' Arab states? Need I continue?) is far greater for Israel than it is for any other country.
David Stempel Ward
London N2
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