WHATEVER the Americans decide to do in retaliation for the terrible events in New York it will inevitably provoke criticism.

Whilst I acknowledge the need for caution as does correspondent P. Kaiserman one must also realise the need for an effective military response to target those areas where terrorism is initiated.

However, I do not believe the Americans will embark on indiscriminate bombing of Afghanistan. Citizens in Iraq were not massacred as far as I know by the Americans. If any died as a result of the first phase of Operation Desert Storm, that is bombing strategic posts in Baghdad, it was an unfortunate consequence of war. America certainly was not proud of that and didn't take to the streets celebrating like a minority of Palestinians did more recently with respect to the World Trade Centre atrocity.

Since that war, the no-fly zones in northern and southern Iraq helped to prevent Saddam Hussein's bombing of the Iraqi kurds in the North and the marsh Arabs in the South.

Honourable intentions have been evident again in the Kosovo campaign where the rights of Kosovans have been safeguarded against a barbarous dictatorship. Again severe damage to the Serbian infrastructure was the initial military strategy through the bombing of bridges and other strategic sites.

In short, therefore, whilst accepting a need for caution, one must realise the importance of an effective strategy and a need to have confidence in, and support for, those in whom we have bestowed our trust.

JEREMY PEACH,

Knowsley Road,

Ainsworth.