This letter is in response to Venugopal's letter, 'War is Afghanistan's best chance' (Oct 9). Another war may be the Afghans' chance to free themselves from the tyrannical Taliban, but it does not make the US raining missiles on the country right.

"Let vengeance not be mistaken for justice," said a Catholic priest in a recent memorial service in Penang for victims of the Sept 11 attacks.

If someone were to murder a close family member of mine, I am not allowed by law to take revenge on the murderer.

Instead, the accused has to be put on trial where he can defend himself. Only if he is found guilty will he be punished. No matter how much I want to kill him (a life for a life), I have to sit patiently and watch in silence the progress of justice.

The reason why we have laws is to prevent anarchy. In this case, the US with its friends, are taking the law in their own hands to attack without presenting proof or putting the accused on trial.

The United Nations should play its role, not the US. Again, the US is doing what it has always done. Might is right. And civilised nations are agreeing that the US is justified in attacking Afghanistan.

It is true, the Taliban does not represent Afghans and that Afghan women, forced out of jobs, education and public life will be the first to celebrate when the Taliban fall.

But neither does George W Bush represent the conscience of America. Peace-loving Americans, not bought by Bush's warped view of the world, are protesting against US strikes and denouncing terrorism.

They are those who took time to ask: Why are Americans so hated? Why would people sacrifice their lives to kill ours?

My American friend wrote to me just after the attacks in the US: "Just as America has homogenised and dehumanised the peoples of the Middle East, so too have Americans been homogenised and dehumanised by those countries who hate our government because of its policies, hence the Palestinians celebrate on the streets when they learnt of the attacks on New York and Washington.

"I don't want all Americans to be hated because of the destructive policies of our government (which I don't support).

"I am ashamed to be an American because of what our government has done in many parts of the world. But at the same time, I have to recognise the strengths of the US. . . the many good people here who are doing good work every day.

"And the many people here who are not part of the American dream - the poor, [non-Whites], immigrants - who do not share equally in the wealth of our nation, who are excluded from the table. I want people everywhere to know that the United States government does not treat its American people equally," wrote my American friend.

Peace-loving people the world over should not be blinded by political elites who claim to represent them.

'Little people' die when big ego leaders who pretend to speak for them shoot missiles, as if they were toys, at one another. 'Little people' around the world, black, brown, white, yellow, have more in common with each other than the leaders/governments who sought to represent them. Like most people, 'little people' desire food on their table, shelter above their heads, and freedom and peace.

This is what we should realise. We who desire peace should align ourselves with one another irrespective of race, religion, national boundaries, and not be deluded by the actions of leaders, or religious extremists who only claim to represent our beliefs, needs and interest.