March 18, 2002

Action and impasse in Middle East

Sir, As an Iraqi living in London, I believe that the suffering of civilians in Iraq is becoming a joint responsibility of both Saddam Hussein and the West. Saddam's idiotic policies brought on a war in which the country was devastated by the West, which then persisted with the blunt sanctions that starved the people and made little distinction between Iraqi civilians and their dictators.

Establishing democracy inside Iraq should be a priority for every peace-loving human being, and the West, with its involvement in Iraq for the last ten or 11 years, bears a major responsibility.

The Western airstrikes on Iraq after the liberation of Kuwait benefited Saddam by attracting support for him from other Arab nations. We need a new approach towards tackling the humanitarian (and political) problems we are facing in Iraq.

Yours faithfully,
AHMED SHAMES,
London
UK .