Readers' views on Iraq

Herald readers have responded passionately to President Bush's speech on Tuesday committing the US to an invasion of Iraq. In emails and faxes received yesterday, about 60 per cent condemned the looming US attack, while 40 per cent supported it and criticised New Zealand for abandoning its traditional allies. Many writers poured out their emotions - from the mother of pre-schoolers whose Iraqi neighbour at the local daycare centre worries about her elderly parents in Baghdad, to the daughter of an RAF fighter pilot who remembers the lessons of Hitler and appeasement in the 1930s.

The responses below are an edited selection.

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The fact that George W. Bush continually tries to make the world believe al Qaeda is training and hiding in Iraq is absurd. He forgets Saddam Hussein is a secular dictator who has reportedly killed more than a million Muslims in his tyrannical rule, crushing Islamic fundamentalism in the process. There has been no evidence of al Qaeda operating in Iraq and even Osama bin Laden has called for the death of Saddam.

Bush must have forgotten his history. Saddam launched war against Islamic Iran in the 1980s. This was also when the US supported Iraq, to help ensure its access to vast oil reserves, supplying potent weapons and continuing such support when it became blatantly obvious Saddam was using chemical warfare.

If the US had any morals it would have acted then.

C. Earl, Pakuranga

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I am opposed to war on the Iraqi people. I do not care for politicians, but I care for the people of Iraq and for one mother whose son attends the daycare centre with my two sons. Every day I see the worry on her face as she expresses her concern for her elderly parents in Baghdad. Liberate the people after ridding Iraq of Saddam? How many men, women and children will die before they can be liberated? How many families will lose their loved ones who have been sent to Iraq to fight?

Sharon King

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As a voice of the youth, I feel obliged to speak up. I, like many others I know of my generation, have always been pro peace and anti war, holding great moral respect for others like my Poppa who chose detention over war at my age. I have an unease about President Bush because he seems to tip the balance with his aggressive approach.

But I feel that for the first time in my life, although nauseous at the thought, I am backing Bush this time. Twelve years is a long time to allow someone to change or even make small adjustments to change. I have a young daughter and knowing weapons of such magnitude and dictators of such ugliness are out there, and knowing there is hope in reclaiming a free and peaceful world, who wouldn't want that? If Bush has to be the mother who risks her life for her children, I can't fault that. If there was another way ...

Kate Johns (23) Auckland

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The US authorities would like us to believe the UN has failed them. But it seems there are only three countries breaking UN rules, which would lead one to believe it is US authorities that have failed the UN. Perhaps the superpower cannot accept that on the Security Council, one vote really is equal to another.

Megan Jack

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New Zealand has showed courage in its position on the Iraq crisis, knowing you can lose more by not joining your traditional allies, but still sticking to principles and anticipating the far-reaching implications of the dangerous precedents that will be set. Richard Prebble is completely wrong. New Zealand showed the kind of responsibility other countries should follow, that is not irrelevant at all.

Gonzalo Laurie Peru

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We unequivocally condemn George Bush and his allies for their stance against Iraq on the grounds that there are no legal, moral, religious, or ethical grounds for the threat of pre-emptive invasion. Accepting that Saddam is a tyrannical and corrupt dictator, we believe his only threat is against his own people, and there is no evidence his regime is a threat to the peace and welfare of any other nation. We utterly reject Bush's speech of March 18 on the following grounds:

1. There is no compelling evidence Iraq still has weapons of mass destruction. The greatest number of are held by the USA.

2. In the past 12 years Iraq has constituted no threat to any other sovereign state, and nor is there any evidence such a threat is imminent or even likely.

3. The mere possession of weapons of mass destruction has not previously been grounds for a pre-emptive attack against another state. Many other politically volatile states possess such weapons. eg Israel, India, Pakistan, China and North Korea.

4. The US has no sovereign authority to strike pre-emptively. Such an act is in breach of international law.

5. There is no evidence Iraq poses an actual or potential threat to the USA. There is no proven link between al Qaeda and Iraq.

6. While it is indisputable that Saddam is an aggressive tyrannical dictator, so too are many other national leaders. Therefore in future we can expect the US to intervene militarily wherever it dislikes a leader.

7. Hans Blix and the UN weapons inspection teams do not support US contentions that Iraq is hiding weapons of mass destruction.

8. Even if Iraq can be proved to have breached UN resolutions in regard to disarmament, many other nations, notably Israel, have breached UN resolutions with impunity and implicit US connivance.

9. It is ironic that Bush's "peaceful American people" are hoping to secure the liberation of the Iraqi people by means of war.

10. The actions of Bush, Blair, Howard and their allies constitute a war crime, which should not go unpunished by the international community.

11. Bush has given no plan for the future governance, peace and democracy of Iraq, nor proved any mandate from any source that the US should have a role in Iraq's domestic affairs. It should not be forgotten that Saddam rose to power through US support.

12. It is naive in the extreme to believe Bush is acting out of humanitarian concerns for the safety of US citizens and wellbeing of the Iraqi people. Underlying Bush's actions lies a desire for economic and political world dominance by the US; and Iraq possesses that potent prize - oil.

J. and K. Christiansen, Royal Oak

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I believe President Bush is doing the correct thing and I wish we were with him. My reason is my memory of the 1930s (yes, I am old but not silly) when the menace of Hitler grew and appeasers said he was not so bad and to give him more time. A few led by Churchill kept up a protest for years and said we should stop him before it was too late. If his voice had been heeded millions of lives would have been saved.

The League of Nations had become impotent and I fear the UN is going the same way. The mantle of Churchill has fallen on Bush and his simple certainty will make the world a safer place.

GS Brown, Remuera

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Helen Clark is demonstrating strength, integrity, consistency, humanity and an intelligent understanding of the long-term consequences of this new doctrine of pre-emptive attack. This is the kind of leadership that makes the world a more civilized place.

By contrast Bill English and Richard Prebble are behaving like kids who identify the biggest bully in the playground and then suck up to him. That is sycophantic following, not leadership. Paradoxically, tyrants like Saddam rely on this human weakness to establish power.

Michael Smythe, Northcote

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It appears we think so differently from countries such as Australia, Britain, Denmark, Italy, Spain, Japan, the US and many others, that we now have to make new friends. Thanks Helen.

KM Taunt, Glen Eden

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Yesterday's news will be anchored in my mind for all my life. I never felt so ashamed for humanity before. It made me cry all morning. By not even taking their new resolution to the vote of the security council, by ignoring us, the majority who condemned their will, those men hurt me. The list of outrageous things they do and say is just too long - they are laughing at us, citizens of the world wanting to live in peace and democracy. THIS IS NOT RIGHT. But we have to keep hope and our consciousness. If we want to say no, we can. We can write it, on our house, on our car, on our clothes. We can go to rallies, we can choose to boycott their products, in what we eat, drink and wear, the petrol we put in our car, where we go on holiday. We can be proud to live in a country who said no to this hypocrisy and disrespect. And Vive la France!

Monsieur Escargot (alias David Guilleminot), Grey Lynn

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In a perfect world there'd be no wars. Nobody wants a war with Iraq. So what do we do - sit and wait for the next terrorist attack? Allow Saddam to continue with his regime? Forget about Hitler and the terrorist attacks on America? Bury our heads in the sand and hope peace will somehow eventuate? Somehow I don't think so. My father fought for our country during World War II as a Fighter Pilot for the RAF - injuries sustained ultimately killing him at a young age. I'm sure if it wasn't for people like him, we would not all be sitting in our pretty little homes today. Think about it.

Stephanie Bailey, Titirangi

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America is only doing now what it should have done in 1991. The people of Iraq must have been bitterly disappointed that having suffered such violent aggression at that time, they were not freed of their ruthless dictator.

The hand-wringing of the UN is despicable and without credibility. America cannot afford to be bound by such an organisation, which it cannot respect. Sadly, it seems New Zealand does not know who its friends are any longer. Fear of the repercussions should not deter us from doing what is right.

Harvey Rosieur, Howick

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A response from an ordinary middle-class Pakeha New Zealander. I want to scream and yell: How dare they? What right do they have? I meditate for the Iraqi people, wishing them kindness and feeling so frightened for them. I feel connected to what they face, even though I am not there. I feel angry in the face of Bush's arrogance to commit our world to war. Does he really think we can't see his real agenda? Every aspect of the warning Bush gave Iraqi soldiers, he, Blair and Howard should be giving their own troops. They too will be committing crimes against humanity they do not have the moral authority to.

Mia Carroll

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It's a sad day when our leadership doesn't have the courage to stand up with our most valued allies. I wonder if we really know who are our friends. We can keep kicking Bush, Blair and Howard. They will ultimately turn their backs on us.

Noel Spanier, Auckland

Herald Feature: Iraq