Letter: U.S. policies on Iraq muddled

Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2002 | 9:21 a.m.

Regarding Cragg Hines' Aug. 25 op-ed piece on Saddam Hussein's ruthlessness:

There is an omission of the fact that chemical warfare horrors perpetrated by Saddam on the Kurds were carried out not only with the knowledge of the U.S. government, but also with the technical assistance of America and its allies, who feared the spread of Islamic fundamentalism. Our government openly supported Iraq in its war with Iran for 7 years.

Saddam's free hand in Iraq was part of the reason he misread U.S. intentions where Kuwait was concerned.

Islamic fundamentalists are no friends of Saddam, but under George W. Bush's leadership, U.S. foreign policy is hard at work forging a new union between the two.

J. H. ESPERIAN

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