WHILE fully agreeing with all the condemnatory speeches about the tragic events in New York on September 11, it is important to study American activities over a long period of time.

The much-hated terrorist methods have been used as an official arm of American foreign policy in Chile, Panama, Honduras and Cuba and anywhere else when a Government unacceptable to the White House has been elected by the people.

Even the detested Taliban regime was given every support while it was engaged in killing Russians during the cold war period.

Bin Laden himself made his fortune whilst living in probably the most reactionary regime in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia.

Mr Blair's hope that all these vile regimes will suddenly become allies in his holy war to rid the world of poverty is extremely nave.

Let us forget the clap-trap and face the facts. Oil is the issue in all this and we are being called to rally round American efforts to ensure a continual flow from the Middle East.

The new Russia and China are equally concerned in this respect and for the former, they want a free hand to commit whatever atrocities are needed to silence the Chechens.

Mr Blair has been used by Mr Bush to give an air of respectability to his dirty war. God knows what the outcome will be.

Religious intolerance such as that shown by the Taliban regime can not be beaten by bombs dropped from half-a-mile up or cruise missiles.

A patiently administered aid and propaganda programme over a long period of time would be far more likely to succeed,

JOHN BRANSON.

Worcester.