Saddam Hussein

Llewellyn Rockwell (Commentary, Nov. 13) would have you believe that Iraq was a poor victim of the “belligerent U.S.” To call Iraq’s invasion and subsequent terrorization of Kuwait a “border dispute” shows how people distort history. Saddam Hussein and his flunkies have been selfish and evil people who deserve no respect or mercy. They are responsible for over 17 years of war and suffering for their own people. The Times must have looked far and wide to find such a ridiculous opinion.

MARK MARGOLIN

Woodland Hills

As a veteran watching my country try to use “limited means” to control Saddam, I am frustrated that regional and international allies reject our help, and we keep threatening limited military action, swatting at him with our aircraft and missiles every few years, all with little effect.

I do not advocate a fight with Saddam. Take a lesson from the past; if his region of the world is unwilling to stand up to him with our support, then they want and deserve him. If we are going to take action, it should bring a total annihilation to the man and his political machine. It won’t be pretty. It will be war. It is a good thing for war to be what it is, ugly death. It keeps our use of it limited.

RICK ROBINSON

West Los Angeles

It is now almost seven years since the Gulf War and the subsequent sanctions imposed on Iraq. Incalculable misery has since been inflicted upon the people of this land. Lack of food, clean water and medicines along with other hardships have resulted in millions of deaths, especially of children. Numerous concerned groups from outside, including such disinterested parties as the World Health Organization, have documented the devastation caused by the sanc- tions.

The simple fact is that the “civilized world” has held the people of Iraq hostage for the last seven years. Take out Hussein, we say, or we will continue to starve you.

Let us remove Saddam by whatever means possible. Let us assemble another multinational force and take over Baghdad and free those people from the clutches of this dictator. However, if we cannot do it, if we lack the courage or the wherewithal to accomplish this, then let us end this cruel sacrifice of millions of innocent people at the altar of this geopolitical charade. Let our government find a palatable way to end the sanctions.

PRITHVI SHARMA

Camarillo

Saddam lost an opportunity to achieve his goals without a confrontation. All he had to do was make a sizable donation to the DNC-Clinton-Gore campaign. If the contribution were large enough, he probably would have been invited to a coffee and to sleep in the Lincoln bedroom.

RICHARD L. FETTY

Palmdale

The greatest threat to humankind is not Saddam Hussein. My fear is of Bill Clinton, who is imposing America’s agenda under the guise of the United Nations.

I understand the danger of chemical weapons and the instability of one such as Hussein. He, however, is just a small part of the bigger picture, the disintegration of national sovereignty by the U.N. ray gun being fired by Bill and Al. It will be the same U.N. that is imposing its control upon Iraq, that will someday, very soon, direct its same control over you and me.

MICHAEL J. OYLER

Beverly Hills