IN Mr Corner's response to Joyce Pickard's letter, he points out that we would not be able to live the life we have become accustomed to if it was not for US bases (Letters, March 29).

As far as I can see the life we are becoming accustomed to is that of decreasing civil liberties and risk of terrorist attack.

If we did not have such a "special" relationship with the US, we would not be the target of international terrorism, as we would not have gone following them into Afghanistan and Iraq.

We also would not have nuclear weapons in our country, which are not a deterrent, but simply an encouragement for other countries to join in with nuclear proliferation.

There is absolutely no need for the US military to be based in this country and, quite frankly, this country would probably be a much safer place without them.

Andrew Collingwood,

Turners Croft,

York.

Updated: 09:03 Saturday, April 01, 2006