Ananova :

Ananova: The BBC's switchboards were jammed by callers angry at anti-American comments during last night's Question Time programme. Do you agree with angry callers, or is criticism of US foreign policy justified?

Matthew: I just read a letter on your site saying that America has done nothing but support the peace process in the Middle East. If that is true, then how do you explain the fact that the US financed the war in Afghanistan against the Soviet Union, and the fact that in the past it has bankrolled Osama bin Laden in wartime? While I agree that the people who died in the attacks were completely innocent of any wrong-doing, the finger of blame must be pointed, in part at least, at high-ranking officials in the US, both past and present. The individuals who died did not bring it on themselves, but those in power brought it on their 'own' people in part. The people partly responsible know who they are, and it isn't just a case of the people who hijacked the planes or organised the attacks.

Nigel: I cannot believe that some people are complaining about the number of 'lefties' and ethnic minorities on the Question Time programme last night and the opinions that they voiced. Surely freedom of expression is at the core of the democratic values that the USA and the 'western' world claim to be fighting for across the world. It is time that some people in the UK and USA opened their eyes to what is happening outside their comfortable, wealthy homes. Western foreign political and economic policy is not working and the attacks are a result of this. This is not to say that the deaths of innocent people are therefore legitimised, as they are clearly not. However, one only hopes that a positive comes out of recent events and that foreign policies be reviewed and changed. Elimination of 'third world' debt must be the start of this.

Chris: I served in Northern Ireland in the 70s and 80s where we were up against terrorists trained in the US, using US-supplied munitions and copious amounts of US cash. Terrorists were given succour and aid by the US and protected from extradition by US courts. I abhor the recent attacks but I am angry at US hypocrisy and double standards.

Dirk Singer: I agree that we need to look at US policy - but now is not the time. It wasn't appropriate for dozens of people who believe that America had this coming to them to be given a prime time chance to air their views when thousands of bodies are still being pulled out of the rubble. The BBC did us no favours by allowing the hall to be filled by people expressing extremes of opinion, when the audience wasn't remotely representative of public opinion. What must the hundreds of Americans stuck in Heathrow hotels have made of it?

Trollbass: Some arguments against US foreign policy are understandable, but these views should be aired at a later stage and not when heads are hot and emotions are high. No superpower can defend its interests around the world without stepping on the toes of many who do not agree with its policy.

Paul Panter: I am deeply shocked and saddened by the events of the past few days. As much as I want the perpetrators of this inhuman act brought to justice, I pray that an aggressive, warlike reaction does not ensue. The programme last night showed just such feelings. Terrorism is not new. On this scale, yes. We must find out why these 'fanatics' thought it their 'cause' to inflict such human atrocities. Until we do, there will always be the threat of terrorism. How can we hope to eradicate this evil without understanding it. By reacting with more bombs and inflicting further deaths, it will only breed more hatred and spawn more terrorism. The programme last night did put forward these thoughts as well as others. However, with feelings running high it was understandable that some shouting took place. It may have been prudent to air the programme at a later date.

Donna Gibson: I do not agree that the majority of the audience was anti-American. The conclusion I drew from the audience participation was that violence is not necessarily the answer and that the way forward is to look at the core issue of why there is such a strong feeling against American values.

Faridi: No one is justifying the attacks on the US. People were giving their views as to why the terrorists may have attacked. That does not mean that they condone the attacks. The fact is that when a Muslim country (e.g., Iraq) attacks another country they get bombarded with a Gulf War and when a Muslim country gets attacked, the US do not do anything. It is as a result of these double standards that the emotions are intensified and these attacks result. That is not to say that the attacks are justified.

Paul Marsh: I watched the programme and echo many of the thoughts already expressed. I continue to be disgusted by the failure of the BBC to acknowledge they got it wrong and apologise to the vast majority of the nation. It appears that the BBC believe the presentation of minority views is their remit. It is time for the silent majority to stand up to the politically correct BBC and reject their use of the publicly funded media as a tool for 'PC' propaganda. Let us hope they realise they have made a mistake and apologise.

Charles Fussell: I thoroughly support the anger of all callers to the BBC following last night's disgraceful edition of Question Time. I myself have complained to the BBC this morning. I was very disappointed that the BBC allowed such crass and hostile anti-American views to be broadcast at a time when bodies are still being pulled from the wreckage in New York and Washington. To seek to blame these atrocities on the United States and more specifically their foreign policy is nothing short of scandalous. I sincerely hope that any US citizens who had the misfortune to watch the programme understand that the anti-American views expressed last night by the so-called representative audience are not shared by the overwhelming majority of people in this country. Everyone involved with the programme and particularly Dimbleby should be ashamed of themselves.

Mark: I sympathise with its people but not with the country as a whole. The US both directly and indirectly has probably caused more deaths than it has suffered in the attack. Those deaths were caused under the thin veneer of moral right but in truth were about money interests (e.g. oil) or undermining the Soviet Union.

Chris: Anyone who labels programmes which air points of view that are contrary to their own as pathetic are pathetic themselves. No sane man would say that murder solves anything, but you have to ask why 20 or so men were willing to die committing genocide against the US. Why is it that the US is so hated in the Middle East? Do we really think that this outrageous act was committed solely for fun? What kind of foreign policy would drive men to such levels of hatred? I didn't hear anyone condone the terrorist acts on last night's programmes. I just heard people try to offer their opinions as to why people want to perpetrate such heinous acts.

James Baggott: Yes there is a need to examine how the American foreign policy has contributed to driving hatred in the Middle East to such extreme levels, but I think that this is definitely a secondary strategy to identifying and bringing to justice any terrorist groups that believe that they can destroy human freedom. The simple fact is that we can never allow this to happen again.

G Morley: My soul is heavy for those families and friends who have lost loved ones. But what would a US-Nato retaliation achieve? More heartache for people on the other side: more families and friends who lose loved ones. More hate and mistrust of fellow humans around the world. The Bush administration would do well to take a step back and reconsider their options. Fighting fire with fire will only make Bush another warmonger - and we all know that two wrongs do not make a right. I am not for one minute dismissing the despicable actions of the terrorists, but urge those of you who read this note to stop and think about peaceful and permanent solutions. Discuss it with your family and friends and look within yourselves for the right answer. Peace. Love. Respect. For the sake of humanity.

Fergus McDiarmid: The USA must repair its relations with middle-eastern countries instead of forever turning a blind eye on Israel's constant breaches of international law and human rights.

Kevin Murphy: The nature of the debate was insensitive to be held at this time. The question is not of America's foreign policy because as anyone knows every country's foreign policy is geared to better benefit their own interests. But how can the world have gone so wrong that people feel that they need to murder innocent Children, women and men believing that their goals can be achieved by these acts of outrageous killings. This is what we should be looking at: what has gone wrong in ourselves as human beings?

Story filed: 15:42 Friday 14th September 2001

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