A SIGNIFICANT aspect of the recent American tragedy seems to have been blatantly overlooked so far.

Not only do many Muslims resent Israel's preferential treatment by the US in the Middle East conflicts, but also the very fact that this most domineering world power of all times is itself under considerable Jewish influence.

This suspicion may have been finally proved justified when the Israeli and US representatives walked out jointly -- in defiance of near world-wide condemnation -- during the recent race conference in South Africa.

Today mere further-rans, Christians may well find themselves caught up in a possible showdown between Islamic and Zionist forces. Yet instead of heeding our Saviour's passionate plea for turning the other cheek, our belligerent "Christian" leaders and their followers among the clergy seem to be once more eager to join a battle the peoples cannot win, neither morally nor, ultimately, militarily.

And let us be clear about this, too: those who shout the loudest for sacrifices are usually the first to hide when matters begin to get messy.

Maybe there is still a slim chance that, for a change, reason and plain humanity will prevail and that, instead of re-retaliating, our leaders will consider abstaining in future from exporting terrorism as well as fighting to stop it from being imported.

However, should there be yet another war -- regardless of where -- I join the poet in his desperate plea: " 'tis war, and I demand that I am not to blame."

Mrs B Stuart

Lord's Stile Lane

Bromley Cross

Bolton