GEORGE W BUSH

IN the aftermath of the terrorist atrocities in New York, George W Bush is now rightly attempting to build a world-wide coalition to fight and hopefully eliminate terrorism, if that is actually possible.

It is worth remembering that the same Mr Bush has already rejected world-wide agreements three times in his short presidency.

He has rejected the Kyoto Global Climate Treaty, and has refused to sign a world-wide agreement attempting to eliminate biological weapons and research into such weapons, in both cases claiming it was for commercial reasons which could harm American business interests. He has also torn up the Anti Ballistic Missile Agreement in his enthusiasm for "Son of Star Wars" and is reported to be trying to nullify the agreement signed by Bill Clinton setting up the International Court at present trying Slobodan Milosovic and others for war crimes.

It is to be hoped that Tony Blair can remind the President that help and assistance can be a two-way process, with give and take on both sides, not on one side only. - E Gendle, Nunthorpe.

SPEEDING

P COOKE (HAS, Sept 20) misses the point by a wide margin. The police regularly have targeted drives against specific crimes.

I recall a very successful operation involving the recovery of stolen goods and the majority of people support the drink-drive campaigns at Christmas.

Mr Cooke seems to be one of the minority of drivers who is critical of the police for trying to keep the roads safe for everyone. Perhaps he would like to explain to the relatives of pedestrians and other car drivers killed or seriously injured by those who drive too fast and contribute to accidents, that the occasional crackdown is somehow a bad thing.

It's hardly rocket science. Don't speed and you won't get punished. - A Miller, Darlington.

THE EURO

ROBIN Ashby (HAS, Sept 18) seems to be fishing around for good reasons to join the euro. However it appears the only things he caught were red herrings.

We continually hear these half-baked arguments from the pro-euro lobby and I was heartened to see that he did not disappoint.

To give just one example. It was quoted that this region receives millions of pounds in direct EU grants. This is of course true, but where does the money come from in the first place? You guessed it, the British taxpayer!

In fact, for every pound that we receive from Europe we have put two into the pot. So let's not pretend that this is a wonderful financial arrangement that is a reflection on the altruism of our European partners and that this money would be lost if we did not join the euro.

So often the pro-euro lobby professes an interest in the need for an open and honest debate on the issues surrounding the single currency; it would be a start if they stopped relying on this kind of spin and nonsense.

We are the fourth largest economy in the world with a strong and successful trading economy. We want friendly relations with our European partners, but that does not have to include ditching the pound and joining the euro. Only 12 out of 15 EU nations are in the euro - there is life outside euro land. - Martin Callanan, MEP Conservative, North-East Region.

LABELS

DOES anyone else feel as I do about manufacturers' labels in the neck of garments?

Some of these labels are made from materials which seriously aggravate the skin. Occasionally, they are quite stiff with sharp corners and make the wearer miserable in a short time.

Cutting them out is not the answer as there is still enough to scratch. Unpicking the stitching sometimes results in opening up the neck seam. And unbelievably, baby clothes have these labels in them possibly causing crying bouts that mothers cannot account for.

Furthermore, it is not only the discomfort that is objectionable, but the appearance of the garment is ruined. I just hate to see a lovely blouse with an ugly label showing through.

There are plenty of places where a label can be sited.

Does anyone know if there is an advisory body who could communicate this gripe to the clothing industry? I'm sure I'm not the only one who doesn't like neck labels. - Mrs VA Ingram, Billingham.

THE MIDDLE EAST

JOHN Pilger (Echo, Sept (21) accuses Israel of "illegally occupying Palestine".

From 1517-1917 Palestine (a Roman terminology) was a huge land space stretching from Iraq to the Mediterranean ocean, under the Turkish Ottoman Empire. The former Ottoman lands were divided under the Sykes-Picot Agreement. Lebanon and Syria were mandated to France. Palestine to Britain.

Lord Balfour's declaration legally gave the Jews their historic homeland within Palestine. If anything, Jews lost out because, in 1923, Palestine was divided. Seventy-five per cent went to the Arabians, now known as Jordan. King Hussein illegally annexed those parts which were to be Jewish.

In 1967, Israel miraculously and legally won back her territory. Since then a terrorist campaign has been operational by the Arabs attempting to murder Israel into non-existence.

That the Egyptian Yasser Arafat is in charge of the terroristic campaign shows that the "Palestinian Cause" has been an external Arabian crusade to eradicate from the Mid-East (despite the total legality of Israel's existence) that which it fears most of all - a democracy within its midst.

Far from Mr Pilger's claims to Israel's "illegality", Sir Winston Churchill said in 1922: "Israel is in Palestine by right and not by sufferance". - BM Robinson, Darlington.