SHANGHAI'S expatriates appear critical of the US-led attack on Iraq following the outbreak of war last week.

　　For example, 27-year-old French office director Anne Geronimi seemed baffled by the decision to go to war, saying that "the proof of weapons of mass destruction is not there."

　　"Why don't they give the weapons inspectors more time?" she went on. "Why is war the immediate reaction?"

　　British human resource manager Corinne Richeux Hua, 37, agreed. "Pre-emptive strikes on the basis of suspicion of ill-intent can never be justified," she protested. "This behavior sets alarming precedents."

　　Doug Rey, a 42-year-old senior project manager from Australia also questioned the legitimacy of the attack. "Based on the amount of information released, I don't feel war can be justified," he said.

　　Business inspector Jose Fernandez, 29, from Spain, was particularly scathing of the US. "I am anti-war," he declared. "This war has no sense. America just wants to rule the world."

　　Sven Laurus, a 23-year-old market researcher from Germany, added that the US's main interest in Iraq "is oil, not the welfare of the Iraqi people."

　　Even American student George Allen, 33, was not totally convinced.

　　"I'm neither pro nor anti-war," he said. "I just don't have the answer. It's a very complicated issue."

　　Allen went on to state that he still felt "completely safe" in Shanghai despite the war. None of the ex-pats interviewed reported any signs of local animosity towards them in response to the attack on Iraq.