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Letters on the killing of Hussein’s sons

Below we post a selection of recent letters on the killing of Saddam Hussein’s sons and the decision by the Bush administration to release photos and videos of their corpses.

Thank you for a terrific article. It is clear that the United States government today is in the hands of those who have no concern whatsoever for the rule of law. Our country is to rule the world and make decisions as to who lives and who dies with no constraints from international law or international tribunals. We now know why this administration was so adamant about exempting the United States from prosecutions by any international court. They were even then planning actions that could bring them under indictment.

It is interesting how world power has corrupted this country. You cite the difference in the attitude of killing accused German or Japanese war criminals with the attitude of today. Not only could Hussein’s sons provide information about the weapons programs which we clearly do not want to learn about but also information on their father. Post World War II victors were interested in establishing principles of justice and cared about precedents.

Today’s people are crude propagandists with a lust for power. There is another parallel also in the treatment of Iraq after defeat. We are doing almost nothing for the welfare of the people. The enormous damage that we wreaked on their society will be paid for through Iraqi resources—i.e., their oil. Already there are stories of siphoning Iraqi oil to Kuwait where it is being used by our military. Additionally, oil revenue will be siphoned off in huge rebuilding profits for the politically connected rebuilding companies. No American businesses were making a killing over the rebuilding of Japan. There was just a much higher quality public servant with some humane ideals as opposed to the crass warmongers of today.

I thought your article was very fine. Keep up the good work. The mainstream media has virtually collapsed today.

DH

New York

24 July 2003

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Dear Sir:

The July 24 article on the killing of Hussein’s sons was excellent food for thought but the Bush government and the corporate media have brainwashed the public into believing that this action is to be celebrated.

No one has any love or liking for the two sons but there are ways, as you stated, to seek justice.

We have reached a new low when the Bush government is guilty of the same crimes as the Saddam government—encouraging the citizens to celebrate the brutal killing of humans and justifying this act by implying that “they deserved it.”

N

24 July 2003

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David Walsh’s recent article about the summary executions of the Hussein brothers was incisive. But there is no reason to expect civilized behavior from the current regime in Washington. By “civilized” I mean showing evidence of moral and intellectual advancement beyond a primitive or savage state; being humane, ethical, and reasonable.

Considering the Nuremberg precedent, trials are not going to happen while Bush and his bunch of “true believers” are in control, or more appropriately out of control. The purpose of a trial is to establish guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. But the Bush administration already is beyond a reasonable doubt. How many times have you heard Bush say, “There is no doubt in my mind”? How many times have you heard Rumsfeld say, “There is no question that....”? True to form for “true believers” in the Pax Americana of the Project for the New American Century.

You cannot convince otherwise those who are unreasonable, those whose ideas are beyond doubt. You will have equal success arguing with a tree. And you cannot reason with those who are unwilling to listen. Bush considers the United Nations to be an “ineffective, irrelevant debating society.” A debating society? How civilized!

Press conferences are not give-and-take affairs. Rumsfeld is famous for turning press conferences into soliloquy, openly asking himself questions and then answering them. Bush’s March 6 nationally televised press conference was transparent. Bush said what he had come to say, regardless of the questions asked. Those who would ask pointed questions, such as Helen Thomas—who has been a White House correspondent since Eisenhower—were ignored. By the way, the White House does not want your email either.

Bush and his administration are literally “true believers” who are on a “mission.” Bush’s allegations are verdicts in themselves, accompanied by the summary vigilante “justice” of the U.S. military. These are not reasonable men, and to expect civilized behavior from them is a pipe dream.

HW

Chicago

26 July 2003

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David,

Thank you so much for your scholarly and incisive article. My wife and I were discussing these very issues at lunch, today.

I was recalling comments made by a rabbi at a Unitarian conference about the time of the Eichmann trial to the effect that he did not want the man executed because that brought closure to a period in the history of human conduct that should remain open for all to remember. Also, as a veteran of WWII, I was very proud that we as a nation had taken the course that we did, despite a popular opinion that they didn’t deserve such treatment. That attitude always has to be addressed. Thank you for doing so.

Sincerely,

CW

24 July 2003

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Sirs,

The American president has shown how moronic he is by allowing the release of the photos of Saddam’s sons. Muslims are not for Saddam but they are for the dignity of the dead.

JI

26 July 2003

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Hello,

Congratulations on the article. Somebody has to say it the way it is. It’s a sad day for democracy if people believe that assassinations of civilians in Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine are a substitute for proper foreign policies.

Cheers,

JG

25 July 2003

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Dear Mr. Walsh,

Your article was fascinating and timely.

I find the jubilation voiced and celebrated by the Bush Bunch and the acolyte media revolting and inappropriate and am very glad to see that you and others are willing to take a stand.

There is a frightening lack of connection with the serious reality of war and death in this strange and ugly reaction. You are right; many American’s have been driven into participating in the psychosis of these self-appointed leaders by the media-generated fear factory.

What is even more chilling is to contemplate that those who find killing entertaining and fulfilling are occupying the highest offices of our government and are piping the tune for the rest of the world to dance to.

Too much has been done to mask and shrug off this fearful reality.

Sincerely,

CW

Washington

25 July 2003

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Surely there was a more humane way to remove Saddam and his henchmen without the death of so many innocent people. George Bush had one objective from when he was sworn in: to finish what his father started. Howard and Blair are nothing but sheep. The people of Australia are thoroughly ashamed. Our elections can’t come soon enough. We aren’t supporters of evil but we don’t support murder either.

AG

Western Australia

25 July 2003

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Dear Mr. Grey,

Not only is the release of the pictures worthy of Auschwitz guards’ aesthetics, but the whole hustle is typical of hustlers getting your attention to the left hand while the right hand shifts the cards. It’s a con job. In short, the entire issue of whether it is really those kids and whether it is proper to show them with 20 bullets, is beside the point in comparison with the life and death questions faced by the folks just down the road dealing with safe drinking water, food and a future.

AL

26 July 2003

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Great article. Thank you for telling the truth and exposing the lies of the Bush regime and its complicit media propaganda machine. For all of the criminal Bush gangsters’ talk of “the rule of law” they have broken more international and US laws than any other regime in the world. Their rule of law is might makes right and that they can ignore, change or violate any rules or laws that are incompatible with their criminal activities.

One interesting note to this sad affair is that the mendacious Cheney/Bush junta now appears to be having trouble getting people to believe its story. It has been announced that the corpses will be shown to reporters; apparently pictures or the official word aren’t good enough for a regime known to thrive on lying. With an administration that constantly distorts, manipulates, and spins the truth on everything, that consistently proclaims white is black and black is white, what can one believe when it announces anything? It would be the height of ironic justice if the one time this regime told the truth it was discredited as a lie.

G

16 July 2003

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On viewing, they brought back memories of seeing the “neo-cons, warmongers, chicken hawks, et al,” prior to the invasion of Iraq.

One of the most vivid memories is one of Don Rumsfeld whenever he appeared on camera to “talk-up” shock and awe. One could almost swear Don was reaching an orgasmic high.

Given this morbidity I have suggested to Tim Russert that he ask Wolfowitz when he appears on “Meet the Press” whether the OSP boys will put out a deck of cards featuring different poses of the dead sons of SH.

Those neo-cons are making sure that Americans are now on a par with the vilest of humans.

A regular reader,

AL

27 July 2003

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Thank you for this piece. I doubt the Bush administration didn’t foresee this reaction; in fact I’m sure they’re counting on it to justify their next actions. I wonder what they’ll be?

SK

26 July 2003

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Shoot and then ask questions is America’s attitude.

If Uday and Qusay had been captured alive, the great American lie about WMD would have been blown wide open. Therefore it was in American’s interests to get rid of these people as soon as possible.

Why couldn’t the Americans lay siege of the hideout and starve Uday and Qusay to flush them out?

But the Americans always had their own view about how to conduct this war.

BP

26 July 2003

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