Mr Bramson's blanket statement that "bombing is the most cowardly way of fighting" is an insult to the aircrews who carry out bombing raids in the face of fierce opposition.

Just take the RAF and USAF aircrews who flew bombers over Europe during World War II.

They were under frequent attack from enemy anti-aircraft guns and fighters, during raids which could last for more than eight hours.

They never knew whether the next moment would be their last and they suffered a very, very high percentage casualty rate.

What they displayed was great bravery, not cowardice.

As for bombing never ending in victory, Mr Bramson must have forgotten that the Japanese surrender in August 1945 was the direct result of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Whatever the latter day moral attitude to that bombing, it undoubtedly avoided the very severe losses the United States Army and Marines would have suffered, had it been necessary for them to force surrender by invading Japan.

Like Mr Bramson and Mr Bradnick I write with experience; during the Blitz of 1940/41 my home was not much more than a mile from the London Docks.

Mr N Lenton

Manor Wood Road

Purley

November 21, 2001 16:30