MADAM, The new Afghan regime is already proving highly amenable to the US.

One of the national broadsheets reports: "Afghanistan's new authorities are brutalising Taliban and Al-Quaida prisoners to soften them up before handing them over to American forces".

What E J Dilley refers to as Afghanistan's 'tendency to tribal warfare' has been exacerbated, if not directly fostered, for decades by military intervention/occupation by other nations, including the Soviet Union and the USA.

Forgive me, but I feel it is relevant to compare the life expectancy and health of the people of the USA and Afghanistan. With the latter country reduced largely to rubble, and millions of innocent left homeless and starving, the situation has no doubt worsened.

Of course, I am mindful of all the innocent people whose lives were cruelly robbed from them on September 11, as I am of all victims of terrorism under all its guises.

Religious dogmatism and fanaticism are indeed evil things. They have nothing to do with spirituality; they are only about coercion, power, and prevention of free thought. However, unless one accords everyone a fair trial, then one is only emulating the offenders and perpetuating the cycle of aggression, retaliation and revenge. There has to be another way.

MRS D RODRIGUEZ ,

Merryhill Crescent,

Hereford.