In the interest of fair, honest, unbiased reporting, The Pilot should mention (in regard to Earle Hightower's June 12 letter, "Recalling Israeli Attack on U.S. Navy Vessel") that Israel paid the United States $6 million for damage to the ship and over $6 million to the injured crew members and families of those killed.

Also, it had been found over and over again by everyone who looked at the incident with an unbiased eye that it was a fog of war accident.

It is interesting that Hightower doesn't lament the fact that in every military action since the inception of the United States, including the Gulf "war," Afghanistan and Iraq, with all the modern systems and safeguards in place, the U.S. military has killed its own and friendly troops with "friendly fire."

It's amazing that The Pilot runs frequent letters from Hightower. Please recall his prior letter supposedly criticizing "U.S. foreign aid," but nine of 14 paragraphs were devoted to lashing out at Israel. It's bad enough he is an Israel-basher, it's worse that The Pilot enables him.

Charles Mirman

Pinehurst