By Alex Kirby BBC News Online environment correspondent

A British research group says the UK's history gives it a unique opportunity to help America out of the cycle of violence set off last month.

The Oxford Research Group (ORG) says the present war on terrorism may simply worsen the problem.

It urges analysing and addressing the root causes of terrorism instead.

And it believes Britain's emergence from its imperial days can show Americans a way forward.

The ORG has published a report, The United States, Europe and the Majority World after 11 September, written by Paul Rogers and Scilla Elworthy.

Professor Rogers formerly headed the peace studies department at the University of Bradford, and Dr Elworthy, director of ORG, worked before for Unesco and the Minority Rights Group.

Left outside

The report recognises that European support for the US is very strong, and that "there remains an abiding and proper horror at the events of 11 September".

But it says the US's view of itself as the benevolent leader of the world ignores the fact that 80% of people - "the majority world" - are outside the charmed circle of the economic system it controls.

War "may worsen terrorism"

Much of the majority world sees the US and its allies as "the dominant problem - the principal obstacle to a more just and peaceful world".

The authors say: "A response centred on a 'war on terrorism' that does not even begin to consider the root causes of such terrorism will not only fail, it could even make the problem worse."

They argue for anger to be channelled not into hatred and revenge, but into a hunt to bring the perpetrators to justice, and work to undermine and isolate terrorism.

And they say that if Americans can understand the antagonism their military and economic policies cause, they will be able to tackle the causes of terrorism.

End of empire

They say Europe should argue for a new model of security, based on wholesale debt cancellation, new trade policies to favour the South, economic help for the poorest, and radical action on the environment and arms control.

And the UK's emergence from the days of empire qualifies it, they say, to give the US particular help.

Pride in the flag "needs understanding too"

"It took Britain more than half a century to learn to live without its imperial role, to begin to understand the extent of resentment and opposition towards what we regarded as our benign and civilising imperium", they write.

"Perhaps our current role may be to support the US in progressing more speedily and at less cost than we did."

Springing the trap

The report was printed before the US-led coalition began bombing Afghanistan.

Professor Rogers told BBC News Online: "My personal view is that to take the war route is inadvisable.

"Commentators who earlier were fairly pro-war are now drawing back, saying the US is falling into Osama bin Laden's trap.

"I think one of the aims of the 11 September attacks was to provoke the US into a war like this. We look to be heading into a very fractured period."