THE comments of Des More (HAS, May 25) towards people who allegedly "hate" this country were entertaining, to say the least.

No wonder he's so disgusted. After all, one ICM poll last year suggested that 72 per cent of British people agree our foreign policy has made us less secure in a volatile world, while only one per cent accepted the Government's assurance that it has made us safer. Perhaps Mr More is part of that minority?

As the former Foreign Office advisor David Smith commented at the time: "There are probably more people in Britain who believe in Santa Claus."

The reasons why Anglo-American foreign policy arouses such hostility are well understood by those who formulate the policies, if not by those who are blinded by loyalty.

In a moment of clarity in 2004, one Pentagon report even admitted: "Muslims do not hate our freedom, but rather they hate our policies.

The overwhelming majority voice their objections to what they see as one-sided support in favour of Israel and against Palestinian rights, and the long-standing, even increasing, support for what Muslims collectively see as tyrannies, most notably Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Pakistan and the Gulf states."

David Bates, Billingham.