Debate Over Gulf War

* Re “The Gulf War Brought Out the Worst in Us,” Commentary, May 22: Robert Jensen’s commentary is an outrageous, revisionist ranting. There’s only one person responsible for the Gulf War killing, and that’s Saddam Hussein. He started it and we finished it. Saddam put civilians into harm’s way as hostages to defend military targets and Jensen thinks the U.S. should be held responsible for their deaths. Saddam sells food and medicine meant for his people so that he can build more palaces and biochemical weapons and Jensen says we are responsible for the misery of the Iraqi people.

Jensen needs to learn that when diplomacy fails, the object of war is to defeat the enemy as quickly as possible with overwhelming force. We did it in 100 hours with a minimal number of allied deaths. And throughout history, retreating armies that have not surrendered have been fair targets for destruction. Our only mistake was in not destroying the Republican Guard that continues to keep Hussein in power. Apparently Jensen would have preferred the Gulf War to have been a “fairer” fight, one which was longer in duration with a more equal number of casualties on each side.

ROGER L. BURTNER

Fullerton

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I have had to wait a long time for someone of knowledge and articulation to comment (albeit incompletely) on the so-called Gulf War. And the realization that those atrocities were “committed in (my) name” is one that has particularly irritated me these many years. I now wonder how long we will have to wait for similar assessments on Bosnia and Kosovo.

It can also be noted that but for imperialist conduct through many decades on the part of the West (herein called Britain et al.), Kuwait could well have been considered part of Iraq anyhow. In any event, it was for them to work out, not us.

BERTRAM BALCH JR.

Rolling Hills