I FEEL that William Stewart (Letters, January 23) looks at world affairs with tunnel vision when describing our friendship with America as an unholy alliance.

Where this country would be today without the Americans God alone knows.

He should realise that 70 years ago this country was the imperialistic power in the world and it was really only the Second World War that changed things.

Granted it was America that benefited the most by the loss of our empire, being the only country to come out of the war stronger than it entered while we were deeply indebted to them through the lend-lease programme, the final payment of which was only recently paid off.

One might ask whether this fact should benefit the taxpayer seeing it has been they who have footed this enormous debt for the past 70 years.

The simple answer, of course, is no we won't, we will go on paying through the nose in exactly the same way we are very used to.

One has to look to Europe to see where our real troubles lie now. This is where our money will continue to disappear while we remain in the situation we find ourselves.

Then, of course, there is the problem of the ever open door on immigration, if one is going to guard against terrorism one should surely be ultra vigilant on who should enter the country and for what reason they are visiting, all undesirables and law breakers should be deported immediately with no right of appeal.

I whole heatedly agree with William Stewart where Korea, Afghanistan, Iraq and such places are concerned, I have no personal interest in these places and as far as I am concerned, our soldiers (and the Americans) are suffering and dying for a lost cause.

They would be far more benefit to us at home guarding our ports and air terminals and keeping our own country safe from outside interference.

I don't know about America wishing to dominate the world, that is something they will never do with countries such as China and Russia but, of course, everyone wishes their country to be strong in a very competitive world and the Americans are no different to any other nation.

It's the country that appears to have no ambitions and no strong leadership.

It's time our people woke up to the fact that we are going nowhere and paying dearly while so doing.

L A O'BEE, Lordswood, Southampton.