PRESIDENT BUSH: I WOULD suggest that the specially chosen few who doffed their caps to George Bush in the Dun Cow Inn are just as pathetically besotted as their MP with the most dangerous President of the US ever.

It matters not to them that these two, under international law and against the express wishes of the UN Security Council, have launched the most evil and grotesque war against a defenceless country, slaughtering its people with the most godless weapons of mass destruction ever created, incinerating and dismembering thousands who were just getting on with their lives and looking after their families.

It matters not to them that the Bush and Blair regimes lied between their teeth about how Saddam was hoarding weapons of mass destruction which could be launched against us all in 45 minutes, as well as presenting as proof the most pathetic and phoney of dossiers - all ridiculed by Dr Hans Blix, the inspector who was not allowed by Bush and Blair to carry on his search in Iraq for these weapons, for obvious reasons.

Mr Blair must have lied to the Queen in order for her to give permission to have her troops sent to Iraq, and now we see her being used once again by these two individuals at the beginnings of their campaigns for re-election. The sooner they are sent on a speedy exit out of the White House and No 10, the better for the world.

As a person with dual citizenship with the US and UK, I feel profoundly ashamed of what these two have done in our names. They do not represent the American and British people. If they do, then shame on us all. - Francine Jackson, Whitley Bay.

AFTER reading his article (Echo, Nov 17) we can see that Glen Reynolds has returned with his usual anti-American rhetoric. Same old moaning: Bush the bad guy, Tony, well, being one of us, not too bad.

He blames President Bush for all the problems in Iraq, including casualties caused by frindly fire.

It was the same with the troubles in Northern Ireland where Glen, as usual, turned his back on what was happening in the hospital and cemetery. It is what is written on the demo banner that catches the television camera.

He states that President Bush is someone who does not count the cost of what is lost, but he conveniently forgets that the tragic events of 9/11 directly affected 100,000 American men, women and children.

He compared President Bush with General Haig in the First World War, as a leader who does not worry about casualties. During the final stages of the Second World War, when the invasion of the Japanese mainland would have resulted in heavy American losses, the American President did not hesitate to use the atomic bomb. A decision that will be remembered by his successors and future enemies of America. - Thomas Conlon, Spennymoor.

THE Queen reminded President George Bush that, while presidents come and go, she herself sits safe and sound. That is as part of the British Constitution or the Crown in Parliament.

And just how many governments here in Britain has the Queen seen come and go, along with their Prime Minister?

And isn't it the business of the Opposition to discredit the Government of the day. And this, no matter just how our economy happens to be, the pound included, needless to say.

Oh, and did you notice that President George Bush looked completely at ease in the company of the Queen, or not the slightest bit in awe of Her Majesty? Some going this, don't you reckon? - Alfred H Lister, Guisborough.

EDUCATION

WHILE education chiefs are closing and merging North-East primary schools in a £300m education shake-up, have they not considered the emotional chaos this is causing to the children (who will at least go to other schools).

But what about the teaching staff? They are being thrown on the scrap heap. No one has considered or cared that these dedicated people will be jobless, as the remaining schools are fully staffed.

North Blunt School at Peterlee is being closed next August - staff desperate to find other positions which are not there.

How inhuman. How dare they be neglected? - M Armstrong, Crook.

SLAVERY

THERE can be no doubt that many Christian believers in England benefited from the slave trade.

Ships from Bristol carried cotton goods made in Lancashire to West Africa (the Slave Coast) where they were swapped for slaves, who were then transported to the southern states of America (the Slave States).

The delivered slaves were exchanged for raw cotton, tobacco and sugar which was sold in England. Mainly through the efforts of William Wilberforce, the Slavery Abolition Act was passed in 1833.

But did the slave owners have a sudden attack of compassion? No they did not, actually collecting £20m in compensation, an immense sum at that time.

And what had Wilberforce to say about the attitude of the clergy to his efforts? I quote: "Wilberforce confessed with chagrin that the 'high and dry' Conservative Party then prevailing among the Church clergy obstructed the anti-slavery cause, or at best were indifferent, while the Non-Conformist and Godless reformers proved his staunchest allies."

Wilberforce died in 1833, the year the Slavery Abolition Act was passed. - Willis Collinson, Durham City.

IN the argument about slavery and Christianity, the strategy adopted by Harry Mead and his supporters has been to select various historical characters involved with slavery who might plausibly be portrayed as Christians and, having made that connection, to use it as a basis on which to blame Christianity for the slave trade. A procedure from which logic is conspicuous by its absence - as absent as, on closer inspection, Christianity turns out to be from the lives of the historical characters concerned.

Certainly in the case of the American politicians, they drew their inspiration, not from Christianity, but from the vehemently anti-Christian Enlightenment, the movement that encouraged science and also the French Revolution. In short, they were liberal humanists with a strong streak of agnosticism.

Come to think of it - on the basis of their writings - that description just about fits Harry Mead and his supporters. - Tony Kelly, Crook.

COUNCIL SERVICES

ACCORDING to the Government White Paper 'Valuing People' on the closure of large centres for people with learning difficulties, a large centre is one with 40 or more clients.

Aykely Heads Durham Centre is one of these, but it has also been awarded a Government Award of Excellence for its caring role and the services provided to clients.

It seems to me if this centre closes, the county council would need to replace it with at least three units and would the same services be provided as at the Durham centre? - Ray Stoker, Brandon.