HAVING read the war-mongering, posturing and general diatribe from our politicians of ALL persuasions, may I put a personal and contentious point of view. It is not anti-U

SA, just the facts as I see them.

Yes this 'war' is necessary, but it would not be so, had those same politicians, those heading our security services in general, and those of the USA in particular, not been so complacent for the past ten years.

Secondly, the world did not change on September 11, what changed was the magnitude of the problem that has always existed and, the fact that the USA became part of the world we all have lived in since terrorism began.

We in the UK know at first hand what it is like to be bombed out of our houses and shopping centres, and our cities blitzed. So do the French, Germans, Belgians, Vietnamese and Japanese, in fact most nations do. Until very recently the USA did not.

For politicians to say this is an attack on the civilised world is short-sighted, it is an attack on the economic world of which, the USA is the leading nation.

To say this is a fight against terrorism is simplistic.

History has shown that legitimate governments now, were classed as terrorists previously.

Israel, and the Sturn Gang of the 1940's; Cyprus and Arch-bishop Makarios in the 1950's; Algeria in the 1960's and the war of independence against the French; South Africa and the ANC with Nelson Mandela.

Would you class Nelson Mandela as a terrorist? Yet the British government supported apartheid which did.

The problem has always been, and always will be, what is right verses political expediency, and bad foreign policy because of it.

Finally, again from the history books. When George W said, the world must come to the aid of America, don't forget Britain stood alone with her Commonwealth countries, which included India and what is now Pakistan, from August 1914 until October 1917 in the Great War. And, from September 1939 to December 7, 1941 in the Second World War. The Commonwealth countries paid dearly for that in lives, and the repayments of the lease lend agreement bankrupted Britain.

When we are told this is a fight for civilisation, remember the soldiers of the Great War were told - it was the war to end all wars. Did it? No it didn't.

Will this one stop terrorism, what do you think?

Ainslie Casson MA

The Poplars

Church Walks

Westhoughton