Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

War on Iraq

Sir, — Apropos your Editorial `Unaddressed concerns' (Feb. 21): Your criticism of the Government's response to the Iraq crisis is unrealistic. The crisis needs to be seen in a wider context. France, Germany and Russia are opposing the U.S. moves in the Security Council not just because they have suddenly developed sympathy for the Iraqi people. They are apprehensive of the growing clout the U.S. enjoys among the oil-rich Gulf countries. The enormous oil wealth and its overlordship is the bone of contention among the major world powers which has resulted in the polarisation within the world body. It is a new form of colonialism which will not end with the resolution of the Iraq crisis.

Therefore, India is being very realistic in not displaying a knee-jerk reaction at this juncture. What is being perceived as a mute response is the preferred tactical move before a larger dimension of the whole drama unfolds in near future.

Divesh Kumar Tiwari,
Visakhapatnam, A.P.

Sir, — What is the gain of a war in modern times? War is not a game or sport witnessed by thousands of people in a stadium or on television. Modern day war is a game of horror, a blot on humanity and a threat to civilisation. Today, world peace is threatened by international terrorism.

A recent snap poll conducted by a British media organisation revealed that a majority of the British citizens endorsed the view that the U.S. is more a threat to world peace than Iraq. The U.S. should explore other options to wipe out global terrorism in association with its allied forces and the tacit approval of the U.N. Security Council. The Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein, should appreciate the worldwide public opinion against war and desist from taking any retaliatory action and comply with the U.N. to disarm weapons of mass destruction.

Tapan Bhattachary,
New Delhi

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