MRS Eileen Eastham's concern (LET, February 28) that British defence equipment is currently not up to scratch is unfortunately the other side of the "my-country-right-or-wrong" coin which, far from protecting its peoples, has frequently led to untold tragedies throughout the ages.

With this outlook, both leaders and followers never seem to feel secure as, apparently, there must always be a prospective enemy.

The trouble, quite apart from the moral aspect, is that other countries posture in the same way, quite unrealistically waiting for neighbours they distrust and others further afield to display greater reliability and co-operation, deeper friendship than they themselves are ready to show. That is why peace by negotiation is inevitably going to be a non starter.

The only hopeful way forward in the long run, whatever the risks, is disarmament by example, whereby protagonists have formulated positive policies which make them too busy and satisfied assisting less fortunate nations to feel threatened by military provocation.

This absurd and dangerous plan for a Rapid Reaction Force is indicative of the determination of powerful politicians to follow the time-dishonoured course of poking their snouts into the troughs of weaker regimes labelling the intervention "deterring aggression" or, at least "mediation."

In this latest case, surely, it is self evident that neither Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Lebanon nor Syria would serve themselves any purpose in attacking any part of Europe.

Therefore, the word "reaction" can only mean offensive, not defensive, intentions.

Could those like warhawk Tony Blair, who deny that this latest potentially combative shenanigans is a European army, possibly have in mind any internal struggle in the Middle East, central and southern Asia beyond Iran, North Africa or that continent south of the Equator? Whatever differences of opinion we may have on the matter of force or non force there will remain broad smiles on the faces of certain unprincipled industrialists and their cohorts.

Their modus vivendi is to design, produce and sell weapons of varying capacities to maim and to kill fellow human beings.

If only we could abide by the belief of that genuine Labour thinker George Lansbury in the early 20th century when he maintained "when nations cease to manufacture armaments, there will be no wars."

DONALD JEPSON, Bracken Close, Blackburn.