War Crimes: Whose Jurisdiction?

President Bush would have us believe that the only way to unseat a vicious dictator is through unilateral, preemptive war. Have we forgotten Bosnia? President Clinton and NATO worked together to depose former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic -- with no American casualties. Today Bosnia is a model of postwar planning, while Iraq falls ever deeper into a quagmire. Thus, there are less reckless means to achieve the same ends. Saddam Hussein was a tyrant, and tyrants must be dealt with. But there are many ways to catch a rat. Bush’s method killed thousands of innocent mice and wasted a lot of cheese.

Damian Carroll

Sherman Oaks

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Milosevic did not attack anyone beyond his country. He is being tried by the international tribunal in The Hague. Hussein attacked Iran, Kuwait and Israel and inspired and paid for numerous suicide attacks against innocent civilians abroad. He is to be tried in Iraq because it is, as we are told, the Iraqis’ internal matter. Why in Iraq? Bush wants it so. We all know why. Because Hussein may be sentenced there to death.

I am not against the formula of “Bush wants it so” if we are talking about the free will of a victor in the war. After all, we lost the lives of so many young soldiers. But if this is the case in choosing the jurisdiction, please shut up about any international laws and international justice.

Vladimir A. Bogorad

Van Nuys

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When Hussein was pulled out of the ground like an animal, it reminded me of reports that he considered himself to be the reincarnation of the arrogant King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon (circa 600 BC). Hussein spent over a billion dollars rebuilding parts of ruined Babylon and even had his name stamped on every 50th brick along with that of Nebuchadnezzar.

I wonder if he was aware that Nebuchadnezzar lost his throne and his kingdom and lived like an animal. But the story doesn’t end there. In time, Nebuchadnezzar repented, saying: “I praise the King of Heaven, everything he does is right and just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble” (Daniel 4:37).

Will Hussein play out this scenario, hoping to be restored to his throne, greater than before, as Nebuchadnezzar was?

Robin E. Simmons

Desert Hot Springs