JOHN J. CARROLL,
A chara, - Shane O'Hara's letter of September 10th gives a representative sample of the reasoning behind European opposition to the war with Iraq - essentially blatant anti-Americanism. While agreeing with me that Saddam Hussein is an evil and despicable man who has brought untold suffering to his people, he concludes that while he "would like to see an end to him, yet I would also like to see an end to the infuriating hypocrisy of American foreign policy".
This is the real crux of the matter: it is not concern over Iraq, the viability of weapon inspections or possible turmoil in the Middle East that drives opposition to any war with Iraq, but blatant and pathetic anti-Americanism. Iraq faces the real possibility of a vibrant future as a federal democracy as recently outlined by the Iraqi National Congress.
This is not a "naïve" belief, as Mr O'Hara contends, but the least the people of Iraq should expect. A well educated population can adapt from years of authoritarian rule to democracy, as has been shown in Eastern Europe, provided of course that there is ample guidance from a full range of European and American allies.
Like many people, Mr O'Hara believes that war with Iraq cannot be justified without ample proof of an Iraqi nuclear capability. If this policy were to be pursued by the Western powers, it would be at best foolish and would most probably result in the deaths of many thousands more Iraqi citizens and quite possibly the lives of many Westerners. It was only after years of inspections that the Iraqi nuclear development programme was first confirmed after years of Iraqi denial.
If in the future such a nuclear threat was developed, the only proof would be that of a nuclear explosion, possibly over an Israeli, Turkish or Iranian city but most likely in a "test" in an area of Iraq hostile to the regime. This is the only level of proof that Saddam Hussein would provide to us in the West. Is this the level of proof that we need?
People should clear their minds of hysterical and childish anti-Americanism, and ask themselves three questions. Would Iraq be a better place without Saddam's regime? Would the Middle East be better place? And would the world be a safer place? The answer to all three is undoubtedly yes, and no amount of anti-American prejudice should cause another Iraqi generation to suffer under Saddam Hussein's regime. - Is mise,
JOHN J. CARROLL,
Rathoath,
Co Meath.
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Sir, - I was refreshed to read Prof Noam Chomsky's article on American foreign policy and its effects on terrorism (Opinion, September 10th). Such honest, intelligent insight makes a pleasant change from the endless yet depressingly transparent spin put forward by both Mr Bush and Mr Blair. - Yours, etc.,
SEAN MOONEY,
Castaheny,
Dublin 15.
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Sir, - "Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster." - Friedrich Nietzsche. - Yours, etc.,
AIDEEN O'RAHILLY,
Templemichael,
Co Limerick.