Let us hope that, in formulating the optimum exit strategy from the Iraq imbroglio, the counsel of serving British senior officers is heeded.Vice-Admiral Sir IAN McGEOCH Ixworth, SuffolkSir: Waking to the dreadful news that the first three young Black Watch soldiers had been killed in Iraq, I suspect that Tony Blair has managed to achieve something quite remarkable. The same effect was to be produced upon Iraq, followed by a bloodless and orderly occupation of the country, by the “brilliant” use of precision ordnance targeted by comprehensive intelligence.All that was needed was a pretext and that was fabricated by the distortion of intelligence and the manipulation of public opinion into acceptance of the legitimacy of a pre-emptive strike (miscalled “war”) based upon a UN resolution of dubious intent. The model for this was the effect upon the Japanese in 1945 of the second atom bomb, which proved beyond doubt the power of a single bomb to obliterate a city, thus turning Japan from suicidal resistance to abject surrender. If Channel 4 had really wanted the ritual humiliation and acid remarks, they should have set up a post-audition meal in The Ivy and given the judges plenty of wine.

Then they might have got some real theatre gossip and bitchiness
More from David Lister. After the Iraq debacle, Blair must finally listen to service chiefs

After the Iraq debacle, Blair must finally listen to service chiefs
Sir: I do not know what military advice was given to Prime Minister Blair but, like President Bush, he became convinced that Saddam Hussein could be toppled by adopting the strategy of “rapid dominance” advocated publicly by certain retired US army and air force generals, admirals and civilian defence officials.The mechanism of this strategy was to exploit the asymmetry of military power arising from the overwhelming technological superiority of US armed forces in order to induce “shock and awe” in the Iraqis. He had, he said, inserted into the script of The Office something one of his tutors had said. The line was: “There are three things important to a good life – a decent relationship, a decent job of work, and making a difference.”It must give you a strange feeling as a philosophy lecturer to turn on the TV and see that the most profound message from your tutorial is getting belly laughs. Good thing you know how to be philosophical about it.*The latest create-a-star TV show is Musicality on Channel 4. This week the judges, three leading lights of West End theatre, were trying to find someone who could act, sing and dance.

It proved no easy task, but the judges seemed sadder than the contestants when it came to rejection. “It breaks your heart,” said one, as the other two nodded, their eyes dampening. How different from the cutting one-liners of Simon Cowell and Pete Waterman This is theatre; they do things differently there. But Tchaikovsky three or four times a year inhibits the development of present-day choreographers, and can even deter new audiences. The philosophical side of Ricky Gervais *Which band would The Office star Ricky Gervais like to play in? The answer, he says in the current issue of Q magazine, is Radiohead.But, blushing violet that he is, he adds that he would like them to put him at the back in the dark with a hat on, and just let him make noises on the synth.I liked best the answer that the philosophy graduate Gervais gave when asked whether or not his degree had proved useful in his career.