THE usual filling of letters pages with fulsome thanks from elected candidates brought to my mind how RARELY I am now canvassed for my vote.

In fact, this year, my emails have brought petitions from five times as many US politicians than those Britons I am mandated to vote for!

Nonetheless, the same “elected” posts are filled by one party or another, who declare in our first past the post system, THEY now have the people’s mandate to impose one party leader’s option on the country.

Or not quite in Britain’s case, where the country is governed from the US Washington establishment, and where President Nero’s consul Pompeo dictates to our Foreign Secretary to repeat the Washington call to war in Iran (as with Iraq in 2003 where WMDs ex-John Bolton also proved nonsense). This time against our General’s advice.

One I can agree with, as an ex-seaman who recognises the only damage depicted to the allegedly sabotaged tankers at anchor in the Gulf, is typical of that arising when the vessel is badly anchored and fouls another’s anchor chain, as these swing to wind and tide.

This week will be another democratic election for politicians-cum-presidents I have never heard a peep from, nor is my vote or opinion of the slightest consequence, whether allotted or not.

Yet we are urged to go to war with the avowed cause of imposing this fallacy of Imperialistic Democracy on another unwilling recipient - with oil resources.

M J BENNING

Wellington