ALL David Pye's subterfuge (BEN: November 6) about America's benevolence and altruism towards poorer nations is exactly that -- subterfuge.

The USA gets itself involved in other people's affairs only when it serves their own economic interests.

Afghanistan, its Taliban rulers and bin Laden are direct products of US foreign policy, its corporations' pursuit of profits and power. Afghanistan served as a US strategic asset under the Taliban. Its drug trade was used to finance and equip the Bosnian Muslim army and the Kosovo Liberation Army in former Yugoslavia. In Chechnya, rebel leaders were trained in CIA sponsored camps in Pakistan.

This war serves the interests of the US oil multinationals that are competing for control of the Caspian basin oil reserves. While the US draws up its lists of targets, noticeably absent from it are the countries that financed the Taliban -- Saudi Arabia, the United Emirates, Pakistan and the USA itself.

In this globalised world the call to defend democracy comes from the enemies of democracy, the war against terrorism is sponsored by the terrorists. The Bush Administration, with its puppet Blair in tow, threatens to carpet bomb the world's poor, starving people.

The US definition of terrorism is utterly phoney and self serving. It encompasses only their own opponents. They employ it to justify acts of violence against any who oppose their brutality and especially any opposition to US imperialism.

Mr Pye tells us that we should be "thankful" that the USA is around. But all that I can see good coming out of America recently is its anti-capitalism movement.

M Naughton

Oldhams Estate, Bolton