Advocating War to End Hussein’s Brutality

What a service The Times has done for its readers to put Zainab Al-Suwaij’s commentary on the same page as Robert Scheer’s column (Commentary, Feb. 28). Al-Suwaij, a lifetime victim of Saddam Hussein’s brutality, begs us to overthrow him, empty the torture chambers, ensure he cannot achieve the untouchability of having nuclear weapons and destroy an important player in the Arab tyrant/terrorist nexus. She has experienced the horrors of war and still prefers an American-led war to create a safer, freer world and a life of dignity for Iraqis.

Scheer, luxuriating in the kind of naivete that comes from living 50-plus years under the safety net of American military power, suggests he “wouldn’t mind” if Hussein was removed from power, but we need more time, more inspections, more United Nations involvement, and don’t we know the Bushies are pretty awful too?

Vincent Basehart

Los Angeles

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There would not be much support in the Muslim community for slaughtering Iraqis in order to save them. With Al-Suwaij’s formula, going to war against tyrants because they are bad guys, the U.S. may well be in constant war for the next 200 years. Reputable Muslim organizations have been part of the peace movement; Muslims came out for those very demonstrations Al-Suwaij derided. That an organization like the American Islamic Congress can get an op-ed published advocating preemptive war does not change the fact that most Muslims want America to be at peace with Iraq, with the world and with itself.

Ahmed Shaikh

Los Angeles

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President Bush’s reaction to the worldwide antiwar protests was interesting. He said that “democracy is a beautiful thing” and that “people are allowed to express their opinions.” But “the role of a leader is to decide policy based upon the security ... of the people.” How come the leader of the free world does not know the definition of “democracy”?

Bill Butler

Palm Desert

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Re “Rift With Europe Runs Deep,” news analysis, Feb. 18: The Times reports that “Europeans think Americans are ignorant, bullying, greedy, trigger-happy barbarians. Americans think Europeans are snobbish, cowardly, bureaucratic, decadent, traitorous wimps.” Adding “silly” to both sides would pretty much get it right. No wonder the evildoers can play us off against each other so easily.

Wayne D. Kerr

La Crescenta

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Why is it that we are always telling the rest of the world how important democracy is, and yet we are unwilling to submit ourselves to a democracy of nations (a.k.a. the U.N.)? Doesn’t that seem hypocritical?

Jeffrey Crum

Venice

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I am greatly puzzled by so many antiwar advocates saying that going to war against Iraq will only increase terrorist actions against the U.S. Does anyone seriously think that doing nothing will automatically eliminate terrorism, I wonder, or do we wait till the enemy develops greater ability to deliver weapons of mass destruction?

Peter Ambrose

Sylmar

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It’s beginning to look as though Bush has unleashed the dogs of war and treed himself.

Freeman Marcy

Camarillo