Why are so many letters anti-American? Obviously, the U.S. is not perfect, but thanks to its leadership and the many who have put their lives on the line, we in Britain don't have to live in Hitler's Germany nor Stalin's Russia.

Australians are not working in labour camps in Japan, the people of Europe are free to choose their own leaders.

People in Bosnia, Kosovo, Somalia and Afghanistan can sleep safely in their beds. Iraq is not occupying Kuwait or even Saudi Arabia, with the money and resources to threaten the most vulnerable people in the world by disrupting oil supplies.

And Al-Qa'ida is not openly preaching hate and fear from a base in Afghanistan.

Neil Dobson,

The Nookin,

Husthwaite, York.

Updated: 11:59 Thursday, January 23, 2003