IHAVE been greatly saddened by the recent spate of anti-American feeling expressed after the recent terrible atrocity. What shocks me, however, is the number of young people who seem to agree with these sentiments.

It is to this nation's eternal shame that so soon after this terrible atrocity you can still hear comments suggesting that America had this coming. Have these people forgotten that in World War Two, half a million Americans lost their lives fighting for the freedom of other nations and the lifestyle we now enjoy.

Aaron McLean (Letters, September 19) says that his sympathies lie entirely with the victims, but to vilify and criticise a nation for which these victims no doubt felt deep patriotism and affection is an insult to their memory.

How easy it is to blame America for all the ills in the world and for all the atrocities committed. If only life was so simple. We only need to look back to World War Two and see this is not true.

As for America supplying arms to terrorists, the world is awash with weaponry. I am no apologist for the arms trade, but this is another debate and hardly relevant to the present situation.

Although this may seem a personal criticism of one young person's view, it is more an expression of my unease of an education system which seems to produce, at the best, totally naive, or, at the worst, completely brainwashed young people, whose historical and political perspective is so warped and one dimensional.

JOYCE PLUMMER (Mrs), Bold Street, Accrington.