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?

Chris Felton: I have never complained about a programme before but did about this one. I believe the views expressed on the programme were entirely unrepresentative of UK public opinion and I was embarrassed at the impression this gave of the UK - that it is full of crass, insensitive cranks. It was the equivalent of a US audience on a similar programme days after the Omagh bombing saying the deaths were all the fault of Britain for its policies in Ireland - how well would that have gone down here? I just wonder where the BBC could have found the members of the audience.

Mark: The important distinction to draw is that between deserving such a terrorist outrage, and attracting such an act. Whilst no nation on this planet deserves to have its innocent citizens murdered and maimed in this manner, the US does undeniably attract such attacks by its constantly meddling in foreign affairs policies. We now face global conflicts thanks to the usual claims of "protecting American interests". Would the US government (which brokered the Good Friday agreement) condone the British bombing of Dublin on the basis that the republic houses known IRA terrorists? I think not.

John: The USA's foreign policy has been a lot more than economic terrorism, in fact it's not been far short of genocide. It has been directly responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of innocent people. And Americans can't understand why people hate them? Oh and while we're on the subject, let's not forget that one act of US (and UK) foreign policy in the 1980s was to train Osama bin Laden in terrorism (terrorism against 'other' countries apparently being quite acceptable . . . )

Kevin Turner: I always knew the politicaly correct left wing morons of BBC production would go too far eventually. Last night's Question Time was nothing more than 'let's have a go at America' time. The sooner the BBC licence fee is scrapped and these idiots are kicked out of their cushy jobs the better.

Tony: I saw Question Time last night and what struck me was how the American representative on the programme was unable to appreciate the depth of anti-American feeling. Any civilised person will condemn the events in America, but that wasn't the argument, which is what many of your contributors are missing. The problem the Americans have is the double standards they have applied over many decades have turned large parts of the world against them over several generations.

The support, arming and training of Right Wing minority terror groups in Nicaragua and San Salvador for example aren't a great show of upholding liberty and freedom. You can't condemn terrorism on one hand then implement your own brand of it when it suits and expect everyone to forget it. I don't recall that limiting civilian casualties during the B52 carpet bombing of Cambodia and Vietnam of being much concern to the US government of the day either. One also has to ask if the same event as in New York had happened in Berlin, for example, would the same level of retribution and willingness to participate in hunting down the perpetrators have been followed by Mr Bush and backed by the American people with the same vigour? It is worth bearing in mind the level of co-operation the rest of the world encountered at the Kyoto summit about issues that not just threaten our lives but those of our descendants.

This is not supposed to be a slating of the Americans. I just think people have to be able to understand where the seeds of this level of distrust and dislike of past American activity in the world has come from.

Neil O'Brien: The point most of the other users seem to be missing is that this is not only an attack on American citizens but an attack on the other countries who worked in the trade centre.

The comments made on last night's show were uncalled for and were very badly timed. There is a time and place for finger pointing and that was not it.

What happened the other day is a tragic example of how a minority of people can influence people into action by taking action themselves. I would like to point out that we should be mourning the loss of a lot of innocent people here. Please stop this bickering for now and let's just remember there are people still here that this affects - think of the victims families and what they are going through now.

Andrew Kennedy: The USA has made many mistakes but without them where would we be? Look at the Gulf and assistance in Yugoslavia to name just two. Much as some may dislike it, the UK needs the US and many times they have come to our aid - now it is our turn. Question Time last night made me ashamed to be British and the BBC should be ashamed to act as a mouthpiece for such inflammatory and extremist views.

Laura Lumsden: Question Time descended into somewhat of a farce as opinionated, and somewhat disrespectful members of the audience ruined what should have been a productive debate.

I was shocked by several comments which were utterly crass in my opinion, which criticised the US and their policies in past years. Whatever the audience's opinion, this debate should have been a time for reflection and to discuss what options are now open to the US and/or its allies.

Did they forget last night how many people are dead or missing when they tried to justify these acts of terrorism! That was the point when I switched this biased garbage off.

Fred in England: Although some members of the audience did express anti-American comments, others didn't and blindly supported America in whatever they wanted to do, regardless of what extreme measures they may be planning.

No-one there was condoning what happened. This really does seem to reflect the general opinions of people. Just take a look at a few of the forums or chat rooms on the net. Identical views are expressed and in almost the same mix.

Most people just talk to their mates about things like this, most of whom share the same point of view. It's only when you expand the debate into a public arena that you obtain others people's view. That is what the programme did, and that's what programmes like this should continue to do.

This is one of the privileges that we enjoy in a Democracy. Freedom to state your point of view.

I know that this is a terrible thing to happen and I hope those responsible are brought to justice as soon as possible. But, people shouldn't expect anyone to change their views of America or any of country out of sympathy.

Paul: The programme was well balanced and opened up many ideas.

Beth: Not allowing people to voice their opinions is censorship. Just because a person chooses to criticise some of America's policies does mean not they are not terribly shocked and saddened by the events that destroyed so many innocent people's lives on Tuesday, or that they in any way deserve what has happened.

No country is perfect, just as no country is infallible, and I think the American government should learn to take criticism constructively. No country should use their power to intimidate others and that includes the USA. However I would hate for my opinion to be misconstrued as an attack on the American people in general, who over the past few days have shown themselves to be an immensely brave, caring and corageous nation.

Sam: I hardly think America's policies in the world is the issue right now. Thousands of innocent people have died and many thousands more are grieving. We should all be thinking about victims and their families and thanking God it wasn't us, rather than bickering over politics - leave that for when every victim has been buried.

Keith: The programme was at best insensitive and at worst, inflammatory. We have all the time in the world to discuss this and having a debate only two days after the events was very ill thought out by the BBC.

History has shown us that if the Islamic extremists didn't have the USA or West to fight and blame, they would still be fighting amongst themselves anyway.

Paul: Criticising the US does not amount to saying these attacks were justified. It is an indication of how dangerous the situation has become that sections in our society wish to suppress free speech and debate in the wake of these attacks.

Garet Jax: The foreign policy of a government does not justify the massacre of its people in such a way as we have seen this week. The BBC must have realised the likely outcome of the programme, purely by the ethnic bias of its audience. It was not a 'balanced' audience and yet again demonstrates the BBC's left-wing attitude, an attitude which is wholly inappropriate at this time.

Barry: I saw Question Time and thought the views were fairly expressed on both sides.

The knee-jerk reaction viewers callers is a sure sign they know the US and Europe have some part to play in this tragedy.

The bombers are using classic terrorist tactics by trying to force a division between two perceived groups of people - Westerners and Muslims. To slate people for speaking the fact the US and Europe have had dodgy foreign policies shows the terrorists are winning. We are in danger of tearing ourselves apart.

The constant call on Question Time was for dialogue and that is what we need. To paraphrase an overused quote: this could be 'our finest hour', but only if all members of all countries are united and use dialogue. We all need to agree on our mistakes and move on. At the moment the people of the UK 'doth protest too much' about QT methinks.

Matt: I think the Americans will need to think about the wider context of their policies in international relations particularly with reference to the Middle East and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

This is secondary however to identifying the perpetrators of this terrible crime and ensuring they and those who harbour them are brought to justice and held accountable.

Military action is required but it will not tackle the root cause of terrorism, nor will it increase the security of the West. Only the determination of all countries to work out a coherent policy of measures - economic, political and military - will have any bearing.

As the IRA once attested "You need to be lucky always, we only need to be lucky once". The determined terrorist will always find a way to inflict carnage.

Jenny: Unfortunately the US is simply reaping what it has sowed by propping up terrorists like bin Laden when it suited their political ends. Maybe Americans will be less likely to fund organisations like the IRA after experiencing the horror of terrorism in their own country.The USA is not the pinnacle of civilisation, no matter how much they want to believe they are and it is about time they stopped trying to run the world.

NH: I have to say I'm glad someone picked up on the remarks about the attacks not being an attack on democracy, but one on the bias of American foreign policy. I'm glad I'm not the only one who's thinking this. Britain should really think if it wants to be America's puppet as we now know that these policies are not without consequence. Killing bin Laden will achieve nothing. The root cause of the issue is foreign policy and many more bin Ladens are growing up.

Phil: Tensions are obviously high, but what this disaster has shown us is that racial hatred, fear and loathing of another country and their people is rife on both sides. We hear talk of revenge, which has a lot to do with Bush's need to prove to those who voted for him that he's "up to the job", when surely what we should be addressing is the obviously rampant racism that still exists in the 21st Century.

Perhaps people should concentrate on this, rather than focusing on starting the first major war of the century which would surely only serve to increase racial tension in an already jittery world.

RJ: I assume all these people from the UK that blame the USA for all the world's problems think they themselves are perfect? They obviously do not drive polluting cars that have wrecked our planet, or wear designer clothes made in Asian sweatshops? I assume they all work for the Red Cross or humanitarian charities and not for big multinational companies? I assume they would give all their money away to these "oppressed" nations if they won the lottery? No. I thought not.

Story filed: 16:31 Friday 14th September 2001

• Poll finds users spilt over future of ground zero site 11:15 Wednesday 19th September 2001
• Ananova readers talk about aftermath of terrorist atrocity 20:00 Saturday 15th September 2001
• More related stories

• Get involved
• US terror attacks
• Terrorism
• Crime
• US
• World

• Terrorism
• US terror attacks

• E-mail this story to a friend

	Send us an SMS tXt m$ge! Our hotline number is 07974 334 075 - we want to hear your news and opinions. Read more about how to get involved.