I'M surprised that Anver Jeevanjee (In My View, April 17) with his ethnic heritage can suffer in such an uncivilised country as this.

Does he not feel threatened when walking our streets? Wouldn't he feel more at home in a country such as Iran, where he could freely speak his mind and know he was at liberty to have his thoughts put into print?

Of course it wouldn't enter his head that the capture and detention of our naval personnel was an illegal act by Iran, whereas the prisoners of the US are from war zones and quite legitimate.

This is not intended as an excuse for the American treatment of prisoners in Guantanamo Bay but a statement of fact that it is far and away better than an American (or British) soldier might expect if captured by the Taliban or insurgents.

Let's not forget our reasons for being in these foreign parts, why our soldiers are having to put their lives at risk and sometimes die so we can speak our minds without fear of reprisals.

Where else in the world would you get such a letter into print with sarcastic undertones? Nowhere!

E E BOAL, Lordswood, Southampton.