U.S. Action Against Iraq

Re “Clinton Takes Hard Line in Case for Strike on Iraq,” Feb. 18:

The leaders in Russia and France and U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan should be smart enough to understand that if they truly want a so-called “diplomatic” solution, then they should tell Iraq to obey the U.N. resolutions, or get punished. Because these two countries and Annan are taking a not-so-strong position, it makes Iraq’s leader(s) think they don’t have to follow the U.N. resolutions.

The U.N. as a whole should inform Iraq. Iraq got itself into this whole mess. There is no way it can even “save face.” If Russia, France and Annan are not taking the firm position, then there won’t be any “diplomatic solution.”

HOWARD HUANG

Laguna Hills

* To prevent the mere possibility that Saddam Hussein will one day use his “bad” arms of mass destruction, President Clinton is proposing that the United States take definite action now by using its “good” weapons of mass destruction. All the linguistic double talk in the administration’s arsenal won’t be able to convert the nature of such a blatant act of aggression.

It is true that Clinton’s tenure in office is limited and, if he doesn’t want history to remember him as just a sleazy joke, he has to do something memorable soon. However, triggering World War III is not something for which a peace prize is awarded!

BETTY ROME

Culver City

* There has been much uncertainty about the goals of military action against Saddam Hussein. Experts acknowledge the U.S. cannot eradicate all of Saddam’s biological warfare arsenal with air power. The best they can hope to do, they say, is “to delay and destroy.”

However, what they might be able to eradicate, with perhaps greater certainty, are his presidential palaces. The progressive destruction of these symbols of Saddam’s prestige and glory, built at such tremendous expense and guarded with such care, should strike a severe blow to Saddam’s pride and durability in power.

Perhaps the prospect of obliteration of these monuments might convince him to comply with the U.N. requirement for complete and thorough inspection.

HAROLD GOULD

Santa Monica

* On Feb. 17 you printed a photograph of an elderly Iraqi woman leaning on an AK-47 assault rifle to help her stand up. This very sad depiction of life in Iraq reminded me of a time gone by. I was 20 years old and with the 2028 Prisoner of War Overhead Detachment in France during World War II. We had approximately 20,000 prisoners whose ages ranged from about 14 to 65. Toward the end of the war, Hitler was using anyone who could carry a rifle, regardless of age or ability. These were pathetic people who didn’t want any part of war and were glad to be in our enclosure.

In many regards Saddam Hussein is much like Hitler. The U.N. and the U.S. have the ability and the mandate to prevent such an ugly reoccurrence.

HARRY GOREN

Los Angeles

* Two years ago, I and four other American women packed our suitcases with all the medicines we could carry and went to Iraq. We saw the effects of the trade embargo--children and adults sick and dying of malnutrition and a lack of medications for common, curable diseases.

President Clinton should be commended for wanting to put those poor innocent people out of their misery. Bombing them will certainly end their suffering.

JUDITH BUSTANY

Los Angeles

* I am taking this occasion to register my objection to the upcoming war against Iraq, which will only produce a lot of dead Iraqi bodies and a few photo opportunities for militarists and hatemongers, while doing nothing about the current political situation.

SAMUEL DAY FASSBINDER

Claremont