WTC attack small compared to what we're about to do

To the editor:

Before the first Gulf War, Iraq had some of the best levels of health care, infant mortality and education in the Middle East. (This was when we were supporting Saddam Hussein and providing him with chemical and biological agents.) Saddam was and is a ruthless tyrant, but he did take care of his people in some ways. These facts are well-documented and beyond dispute. Also true: During that first war, numerous civilian infrastructure sites like water treatment plants were targeted and destroyed. According to UNICEF, by 1999 more than 500,000 children died as a result of sanctions for lack of food, medicine and especially clean water. One may say that this was due to Saddam's belligerence, but it is beyond dispute that it was a result of our sanctions.

The current plan is to begin the war by targeting a dense urban area with more missiles in the first two days than were used in all of the first Gulf War. This plan is designed to shock the Iraqi people into submission and reduce their will to fight. It's aimed at civilians. Half of the Iraqi population, 12 million people, are children under the age of 15. You will not see their terror and death. It will be hidden from the cameras and filtered through the government. No one believes Saddam is responsible for the World Trade Center, but that incident is small beside the immoral act that we are about to commit.

ROBERT J. POLACK JR.

Cape Girardeau