Did say that he hadn't left the Church of England, but that it had turned into a brach of greenpease and had walked away from him. Nevertheless, he was an incredible speaker. I recorded the speech, and me and my normally apolitical roommate watched it through three times.

BTW, Ted C, is it impermissable for me, as a Yank, to register on that list? If even as an observer? It is repeatedly mentioned that the list is only for UK residents, I don't wish to "invade" but am confused over the rationale. If you could answer me yourself or tell me whom to contact I would appreciate it.

Ted Keer

Sorry guys - it's not Douglas Murray! Our British UKOA exemplary LTE writer is DARYL Murray. Ted C

Murray is an incredibly charming, intelligent and cogent speaker. He spoke before the American Enterprise Institute (Shown on Book TV, aired on CSPAN2) about his recent book. You had to pay the strictest attention to what he was saying, but were rewarded hundred-fold. He began his speech, which was originally booked as "Can one be a European Neo-Con?" by commenting that many might find being so-labelled a term of derision. He agreed that it was insulting, and that he did quite strongly object - to being called a European. His speech seemed to imply that he was religious. I wonder if this was a misintepretation on my part? If the show airs again I will announce it again.

Ted Keer

Thanks for the info Ted C.
UKOA. I must look into it.

The price of shillyshallying

"Not only was the US unwilling to make good on its threats, but effective multilateral action also required serious efforts by other countries with real leverage over North Korea to do something. But for the past six years China has been playing a dangerous double game. It never wanted North Korea to become a nuclear power but it was quite happy that its ally kept the US, Japan and South Korea off balance with its burgeoning ambitions.

The same story of hand-wringing futility has been played out with Iran. Russia and China have both placed short-term diplomatic and commercial gain over long-term stability. The Europeans were, well, European.

As for Iraq, I don’t recall the Russians, Chinese or Europeans urging the US to divert its regime-changing attentions to North Korea. They wanted the US to perform the same foot-dragging, futile, pointless dance with Baghdad that they were pursuing over Pyongyang. Would that have been any better? Now, belatedly, the talk is of tough UN sanctions against Iran and North Korea. But it is too late. Out of a combination of fear, opportunism and cynicism, the world’s so-called powers have ridden a tiger for the past decade. Now the tiger has turned on them. Blaming America may make them feel better about it. It won’t change the bleak and terrifying new reality."

D.S.A. Murray is a regular poster on the UK Objectivist Association website (UKOA). He is known by all of us on that site as a prolific and EXCELLENT letter writer. He has letters published regularly in the Daily Telegraph and The Times. See, there is hope for the Old Country!

The writer could be Douglas Murray who is the author of "Neoconservatism: Why We Need It", published by the Social Affairs Unit in London.

Now that is the way to write a letter to the editor! A great contrast to the dronnings-on and equivocations of the letters on the previous page.

Thanks Marcus.