12/09/2002 00:00
TW
0

Like it or not we in Europe stand shoulder to shoulder with the United States. Much of the defence of Europe, through NATO, comes from the U.S.A. I make this statement because I was rather alarmed this week when various people talked of the September 11 attacks in New York and Washington as if they were in some distant country which had nothing to do with us in Europe. Well, I believe they are mistaken. Yes, the United States is a long way from us but it is also the centre point of the western world, which we form part of. Al Qaeda was allegedly going to attack U.S. and British warships in the Straits of Gibraltar, which is at our back door. The Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar, is a close ally of George W. Bush and he has announced that he would support strikes on Iraq with or without the support of the United Nations. We should stand together with the United States because at the end of the day, they were there for us in our hour of need.

I am not talking about waving the Stars and Stripes from the nearest rooftop or supporting any action which the President of the United States wants to take, I am talking about standing shoulder to shoulder and offering our help and support. September 11 was an attack on the western world and who knows what other targets the Al Qaeda network is drawing up. S11 was a black day for the western world. America is a long way off geographically but in every other aspect it is very close. And we shouldn't forget that.

Jason Moore

Snail mail and postcards

Dear Sir,
I can beat C. Andrew (who complained about the late delivery of his postcards in this week's Bulletin). We visited Port Pollenca in July/August this year and sent 8 postcards. The first 3 arrived on Saturday. The rest are still missing in action. Furthermore 3 of 6 postcards sent from Menorca two years ago have still not arrived. And we in Britain criticise the British Postal System!

Regards

Keith Jones Rhyl, North Wales.

A solution for your holiday postcard woes

Dear Sir,
In reply to the letter from C. Andrew re: the late arrival of holiday postcards, I cannot tell him why this happens. However, I can supply a tried and tested solution.

Buy postcard size envelopes, pop the postcard inside, address and post. The postcard will now travel letterpost. It may not look as pretty when it hits the doormat, but it will arrive before you do. Oh and there's one other advantage. The postman can't read what you've been up to on your hols.

Regards

Keith J. Wood

Support for the Post Office

Dear Sir,
I must admit that I have noticed a real improvement in the postal service over recent months and I am receiving letters from the UK much quicker.

Ian Franklin. Palma