Negotiations to Settle Mideast Crisis

The Bush Administration’s position is that there can be no negotiations with Iraq until the Iraqi army withdraws from Kuwait. Unfortunately, even an unconditional withdrawal, while humiliating, would not address the real problem. As long as Iraq maintains a huge army, the U.S. presence in the Middle East is mandatory.

The real answer to the current problem is disarmament. One way to disarm is with a hot war that destroys the Iraqi military machine, but perhaps this goal can be achieved without a hot war.

We should agree to negotiate with Iraq while the armies hold their current positions. Our initial position should be that the U.S. will withdraw its forces if Iraq withdraws its troops from Kuwait, leaving its weapons behind; better yet, destroy them. Iraq’s standing army must be reduced to a level required for defensive purposes only, and facilities for producing chemical and nuclear weapons must be dismantled. Iraq should be made to promise not to invade any of its neighbors.

Chances are Saddam Hussein will not accept this sincere offer, but you couldn’t accuse us of refusing to negotiate. It also puts a proposal before the world that expresses our sincere desire for peace.

ROBERT S. DE WOLF

Fullerton