Bush Visits U.S. Troops

With reference to your editorial “Are Hostage Families Right to Go to Iraq?” (Nov. 19), Hussein’s “hostage-taking policy” may be “cruel,” but who can deny that it is far less cruel than the death and destruction that would result from a U.S.-led attack?

To point out that Hussein’s invitation--why “ghoulish”?--to hostage families was made for its propaganda value is to state the blatantly obvious. But so what? Estimates of casualties in the event of war only mentioned Americans, as though the presumably far larger Iraqi casualties were not a consideration. Sort of reminiscent of Vietnam where life was “cheap.”

Under the circumstances, I would do exactly what Hussein is doing--doing his best to deter attack and thus to keep the peace. And I suspect that Bush, were he in Hussein’s shoes, would do the same.

My sentiments also extend to Iraq’s announcement that it will release all hostages starting Christmas Day (Nov. 19). If this constitutes “cynical manipulation,” so be it. Although release of the thousands of hostages would remove “a possible justification for an American-led attack,” it might just have the opposite effect--removing a crucial factor which deters an American-led attack. In any event, you can’t fault Hussein for believing that such might be the case.

ROBERT W. HAYES

Altadena