RECENT worldwide events have cemented my beliefs that western politicians are total hypocrites.

First we have the murder and execution of Muammar Gaddafi. While I’m no fan, an execution it most definitely was and of a disarmed captive, so graphically portrayed in the media: why?

Look at Hilary Clinton’s remarks, laughing and joking after his death. Is this really the new diplomatic speak?

The Gaddafi murder was a war crime and the perpetrators were no better than him. Surely we must have international laws and guidelines.

Shouldn’t the ‘rule of law’, a bedrock of any ‘democracy’, be the answer as opposed to this Play Station-like blood lust?

We know the likes of Bush, Blair, Berlusconi and others didn’t want Gaddafi in the dock, they must be very relieved!

We have bombed several countries in the name of democracy but here want to suppress it: for example the St Paul’s occupation and the students protests.

And in that beacon of democracy the USA, the police beat demonstrators, one so severely he received brain damage (he was a US war veteran, by the way).

Then there’s the Palestinian acceptance to UNESCO, accepted by most countries (107 for 14 against 52 abstained). Now the countries who voted positively will undoubtedly be penalised financially, as will Palestine of course.

If 186 nations at the UN think the blockade of Cuba should be lifted with two nations voting against, doesn’t this underline the hypocrisy? Guess who the two countries were who voted against: the USA and Israel.

TIM SIRET Millmoor Crescent Eynsham