I AM a resident of Fishguard and member of Veterans for Peace (VFP), after seven years’ service in the RN, I am appalled to learn of the assassination of Qassem Soleimani by a US drone strike.

This action does nothing to progress peace in the region and appears to be an unlawful extra judicial execution as there is no state of war between Iran and the US.

I want to encourage everyone to contact their MP and speak out to condemn this action and urge our government not to take part or support any hostile action against Iran.

In all these conflicts the true victims are thousands of innocent civilians.

We can all agree that to inflict suffering on this scale is unjust and totally unacceptable to us as a civilised people.

War is not the solution to the problems we face in the 21st century.

I include part of the statement from VFP UK.

CHRIS PALING,

By email

VFP UK CONDEMNS DRONE ASSASSINATION – CALL TO ACTION

Following Friday’s assassination of Qassem Soleimani and six others, the risk of war between Iran and the USA (which will inevitably include British troops) is greatly increasing.

We also remind all serving members of the Armed Forces that they have a right to refuse to obey illegal and immoral orders.

British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab claims that the UK is trying to de-escalate tensions in Iran in order to avoid a war.

On the other hand, he also said the UK understands the position the US was in and has described Major General Soleimani as a ‘regional menace’ and that “The US has a right to exercise self-defence”.

We, as veterans, know that war is not the solution to the problems we face in the 21st century.

In fact, prior to the invasion of Iraq in 2003, it was already known that warfare would lead to countless civilian deaths, and increase international tensions and “terrorism”.

The reality is – war is terrorism.

Peace is the answer.