Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

War on Iraq

Sir, — Now that the U.S. and the U.K. have gone to war without the U.N. Security Council's nod, it will be interesting to see if France, Russia, Germany and China will follow through on their earlier stands and get the Security Council to name the two countries as aggressors in Iraq. Since Resolution 1441 was premised on Iraqi aggression in Kuwait, will equal treatment be considered for the U.S. and the U.K. in the form of sanctions and disarmament of weapons of mass destruction through intrusive U.N. inspections? Since any such move will invite a veto from both the U.S. and the U.K., the mechanism of `uniting for peace' can be invoked, as was done in the case of the Korean crisis, and the General Assembly's authorisation obtained.

Ravi Prakash,

Hyderabad

* * *

Sir, — The point is not whether Saddam Hussein is a bad man and a tyrant or not. Washington's unilateral move to go to war with Iraq without the U.N.'s sanctions cannot be considered legal or justified in international law. Moreover, two wrongs don't make a right. Mr. Bush's personal agenda and domestic political compulsions have made him order war on a country which is already in the grip of severe sanctions. A peaceful solution that was still possible through the U.N. has been hijacked by the hawks in the U.S. and the U.K. who want to steamroll all opposition.

D.B.N. Murthy,

Bangalore

* * *

Sir, — An unjust war has begun and it is the most unfortunate moment in the history of mankind. When warmongers like Mr. Bush and Mr. Blair unleash cruelty against an independent and soverign nation, why have all the other countries become silent spectators? It is time India too changed its policy of appeasing the U.S. It is no wonder that terrorism these days is mainly targeted against Americans and American property. The American people should think why they are being disliked the world over. The U.S. and its allies have committed a blunder by waging this war for which they may have to pay a heavy price.

Khasim Iqebal,

Ongole, A.P.

* * *

Sir, — By waging a war against Iraq, the U.S. has declared war against humanity and not against terrorism as it vowed to do after September 11, 2001. If the war is prolonged, it will inevitably encourage terrorist activities. After all, people cannot be mute spectators of such an unjust act. Whatever be the consequences of the war, nations like India have certainly a lot to learn from it. India should stop making efforts for a permanent seat in the United Nations and should learn to take its own decisions when it comes to a sensitive matter of protecting its sovereignty. It should no longer bend its policies under pressure from Western directives.

Sutirtha Sahariah,

New Delhi

* * *

Sir, — If the U.N., the European Union and the majority of the people around the world cannot stop one man and his decisions, what will be the future of our world? Who will be more dangerous — the dictator of the Gulf region or the dictator of the world? As many Indians are working in the Gulf and in the U.S., surely India would be the major loser. But have the Indian rulers done anything to safeguard the interests of their citizens? Have they made their voice heard against war or are they simply content with dancing and enjoying the Holi festival?

J.T. Jayasingh,

Idukki, Kerala

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Sir, — The U.S. is overrunning Iraq on flimsy grounds with the unmistakable intention of taking over the oil wealth of that country and turning it into a slave state. It is already waging a psychological war against the consciousness of the world's people, focussing on their collective hope for peace — the United Nations. This organisation is an investment made by all nations in civilised methods of addressing international problems. The underlying principle is not utopian but practical, and it is based on a recognition of the supreme value of human lives over all other resources. Imperialists and terrorists do not accept this, because both subscribe to the infamous `clash of civilisations' premise of Samuel Huntingdon. This is the premise on which the U.S. is basing its over-heated reaction to the threat of terrorism. The sanctimonious concern expressed by the U.S. President, George Bush, for the freedom and welfare of the Iraqi people, which he says is the motive for the U.S. action, emerges as doublespeak of the worst kind.

Vasantha Surya,

Chennai

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