Responding to Loe Anne Pino's July 25 letter, "Our unbalanced Mideast policy": With all due respect to her right to an opinion, her opinion is dead wrong.

The United States supports Israel because it is the only stable democracy in a region of tribal dictatorships, and has been so for almost 60 years. We support Israel because not doing so would legitimize the tactics of homicide bombing and using children as human smart bombs. Finally, we do so because it is the right thing to do.

After all, wasn't Israel created after the world had turned its back on the slaughter of 6 million Jews? That, it would seem, is true genocide. The Israelis retaliate in full force against government-sponsored murderers who are sworn to exterminate all Jews: a position that equates the terrorists with their Nazi predecessors.

Rather than hamstringing Israel, the United States should encourage it to eradicate the terrorists, once and for all. If Ms. Pino wishes to avoid that, the solution is simple: The Palestinians, and any other terrorist group, must forswear the terrorist practices they have embraced since the Munich Olympics massacre, in 1972, and then prove that they have done so by adopting Western democracy.

With time and work, democracy breeds civility. Unfortunately for the terrorists, their fanatical overseers from Syria to Iran will never allow it to happen. That means Israel has no choice but preventive war.

Peace is not the absence of war; it is the fruit of victory. That fruit can only spoil if it is gained by the hands of terrorists.

DAVE TERRY

Frisco, Texas