The lukewarm – and now fast-fading – support of the Arab League and countries in the region for the UN action against the Gaddafi regime is very disappointing. It is not sufficient for leaders of Arab opinion such as Ahmet Davutoglu (Comment, 16 March) or Abdel al-Bari Atwan (Relief will fade as we see the real impact of intervention, 19 March) to attack western "interference" and invoke fine sentiments such as "Arabs can take control of their future" without coming up with some realistic plan of action for what has been happening in Libya.
In the absence of the UN action, would the countries in the region have simply watched the democratic uprising in Libya crushed and civilian populations massacred? Mr Atwan cites the Egyptian response ("No intervention. Period") without any comment or question, as if it were perfectly acceptable – a country which is Libya's direct neighbour, with the largest army in the region apart from Turkey, and an air force of nearly 300 planes (more than twice that of the UK). And what of Turkey, actually a Nato member, with even larger forces? As usual it seems the leaders of these countries, with the honourable exceptions of Lebanon and a couple of tiny Gulf states, find it easier to sit on their hands and blame the "west", whatever the outcome.
Richard Crook
Brighton
• I foresee a couple of further points to add to the concerns expressed in your leader (Libya: The perils of intervention, 19 March). First, there needs to be greater clarity as to how far the UN actions should go. The intention is to inhibit civilian, non-participant casualties. Where can the line be drawn in urban fighting? Second, what happens if the "rebels" come to roll back Gaddafi forces, start to enter Tripoli and start exacting retribution? Logically, then, surely the UN resolution would require actions to reduce the risk of a reverse bloodbath? If not, then it would indeed look that "the west" was purely supporting regime change rather than acting to restore peace.
John Chubb
Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
• Yesterday the Commons debated the UK's involvement in the bombardment of Libya. You report (21 March) that Qatar will be sending jet aircraft to join the fray. When will the democratically elected parliamentary representatives of the Qatari people have their chance to subject this action to the scrutiny it surely deserves?
Dominic Rayner
Leeds
• Following the UN security council resolution on Libya calling for an end "to all attacks on civilians", I look forward to seeing a similar resolution regarding the recent US drone bombing in the Datta Khel area of Pakistan that killed 38 civilians (Report, 17 March).
Steven Marsh
Chicago, Illinois, US