WITH the deepest sympathy for those US citizens who suffered on September 11, I hope for a speedy resolution of the war.

However, I have to agree with P. Kaiserman (Your Letters, Nov 2) about the thrust of American multi-national business. One GM president said that "what was good for GM was good for America".

The withdrawal of support by Russia brought down Milosevic. Will the same action by American big business in Israel stop bin Laden?

In its diversity, the USA has more than 500 billionaires and, at the other extreme, five million people living in poverty. Its citizens love the USA but there is not the social cohesion expected of an advanced presidential democracy. The election of 2000 showed that!

J. HOLDEN,

St Paul's Street,

Ramsbottom.