I DISAGREE with Mr. Carroll ('US expert warns of Star Wars threat', February 9) who thinks an American shield against nuclear attack would somehow provoke an attack.

As a former member of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament I suggest a Star Wars is a shield against any incoming nuclear attack devices.

If protecting one's country is tantamount to provoking threat and/or war, then none of us should bother with locks on our doors for fear that burglars, provoked by such action, will rush in to burgle us.

Because there's no such thing as a free lunch, if Britain and others want to continue to benefit from American expertise, business, money, military aid over its European wars and so on, then co-operating with Star Wars is one way of continuing to receive these.

As I understand it, countries co-operating with Star Wars will themselves be protected by the shield.

So what's the problem?

There should be no nuclear devices anywhere - but so long as there are, refusing to protect oneself is not intelligent.

Marlene Hanna,

Woodside Avenue,

York.

Updated: 11:30 Wednesday, February 14, 2001