Hear all sides

ANN Hodgson (HAS, Oct 25) describes Peter Mullen's article as "vile, poisonous rhetoric".

Does she not realise that bin Laden's attacks on America were deliberately designed to force the West into war, a war he has been planning for years and for which he has been training soldiers, buying thousands of dollars worth of biological material, plus nuclear suitcase devices, and brainwashing as many Muslims as he can into hatred of the West?

The target of the plane which crashed in Pennsylvania may have been one of the nuclear power stations in the Camp David area; since he vowed years ago to kill as many Americans as possible before he dies.

Peter Mullen is a brave man who dares to tell the truth in this country, for which the political left is out to silence him.

He tells the true situation on why Third World countries are poor: due to their own oppressive ruling dictators. This robs the political left of its favourite tool to discredit the West by blaming us for the troubles of the world. - P Lewis, Sunnybrow.

I FEEL I must write this letter as an ex-serviceman with six years in the army in the Second World War.

I am disgusted with the news media, broadcasting the whereabouts of troops overseas, putting the lives of the troops out there at risk, telling the enemy where they are and what they are doing.

In the Second World War, posters were displayed on buildings stating: "Careless talk costs lives" and "Be careful who you talk to".

I only hope no lives are lost through their thoughtlessness. - L Senior, Richmond.

THE British Government's decision to send specialist troops to Afghanistan is ridiculous. It is not our war really.

The Americans, blustering in now, are bogged down. President Bush doesn't want body bags, so send in the British.

Mr Bush, if you allow Jewish money and Irish votes to run America, so be it. You allowed funds for terrorists in Ireland and we got bombed. You have engineered all this, now you squeal when hit back.

Sadly, we want our troops, all of them, home. You started a war - finish it. We fought the last one. - CM Johnson, Bedale.

RECENTLY, the acid test for freedom of speech and democracy has been displayed in Hear All Sides.

All opinions have been expressed. This is what our fight is about.

I have very close friends who have different politics, views and religion. This has not and never will stop our friendship.

We will still go to the match together, gather for our weekly drink, walk and fish the River Wear together and generally look after one another. We have grown up together, fear and value the same things and, from different angles, want the same goals in life.

What we never do is resort to violence to force others to share our views, like bin Laden and his cronies will do, given the chance.

The group crowing on against the US and Britain also don't like farmers, landowners, country sports, the armed forces, police, royalty or anyone with more money than them.

They blame the Tories for the North-East's ills, ignore pathetic councils, support political correctness and think the victim of crime is actually the burglar or mugger.

For once in your lives, stand up and be proud to be British, instead of tearing the heart out of our country at every opportunity. - J Tague, Bishop Auckland.

THE rich voice of an American broadcaster intones: "We have hammered the Taliban." The defiant Taliban spokesman replied: "We will fight to the death, Allah is Great." Unless every cave and rubbled village is searched, bin Laden may never be found. Even if he was killed, he would probably turn into a martyr.

I suggest a change of tactics (as the Americans have had their revenge). Send lots of food aid before the severe winter sets, instead of bombs. Otherwise, this will go on for ages, alienating the whole Muslim word against us and perhaps the meek will inherit (what's left of) the world. - F Atkinson, Shincliffe.

THE Northern Alliance fighters remind me of Dad's Army, getting nowhere. They need back up. Their knowledge of the area would be an advantage to mix with our forces on ground attacks for a safer and quicker victory. - N Tate, Darlington.

TONY Blair says we will 'kill bin Laden.' Why stop there? Putin is the arch terrorist of Chechnya, Milosevic is the Serbian terrorist who was responsible for countless thousands of deaths, and how about Sharon of Israel? Have you noticed the club? These three kill Muslims.

Bin Laden is said to have killed Christians, so he is to be assassinated. The sickening hypocrisy of President Bush and Mr Blair is beyond belief.

All terrorists should be subject to international law and tried when apprehended in a court of justice. - Hugh Pender, Darlington.

ELECTED MAYORS

THE Labour Government is giving the people the chance to vote for a change in local government with elected mayors. Another example of New Labour genius, were it not for the fact that 'old Labour' is doing everything it can to try and stop people voting for it.

The City of Durham Labour Party is running its own 'No' campaign. Strangely, it argues that 400 years of tradition would be lost and, by giving the people of Durham a vote on who should be their mayor, rather than the council continuing to decide, this would somehow undermine the democratic rights of local people. Hardly progressive socialism.

Could it be Labour fears the election of a non-Labour mayor? Someone who could stand head and shoulders above a Labour-dominated city council. I would say to the people of Durham, ignore the negative arguments of Labour and the Liberals - be a rebel, vote yes! - M Fishwick, Thornley.