Iraq Sanctions

Re “U.N. Official Quits, Saying He Lost Hope,” Feb. 15: Hans von Sponeck and before him Denis Halliday both gave up their United Nations humanitarian work in Iraq because they simply could not do their job; perhaps it will be more accurate to say that they were not allowed to. Their efforts to provide bare minimum needs of food and medicine to millions of sick and dying children were stymied by reluctance of the U.S. and Britain to relax the sanctions against Iraq.

The leaders of these two countries are so blinded by their zeal to destroy Saddam Hussein that they refuse to acknowledge the sufferings of the helpless and destitute masses. How many more children will have to sacrifice their lives before world opinion will bear down on these leaders and force them to lift the nine-year-long sanctions against Iraq?

IMDAD AHMAD

Upland