Can’t Arabs live without dictators? [Archives:2003/632/Letters to the Editor]

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April 21 2003

Kalvan Swanky
[email protected]

I read your editorial section this morning. I'm not clear on your position with regards to Iraq. Is it your position that the people of Iraq where better off under Saddam? That his government had their true interests at heart? That he provided better for their welfare than if Iraq was ruled by the people as a democracy?
Why does the Arab media never publish the fact that Saddam and his government have been responsible for more Muslim deaths than practically any in history? Why is it acceptable to today's Arabs that their governments can kill other Arabs by the thousands? Why didn't you call for a jihad against Saddam when he was killing women and children by the thousands?
War is bad, very bad. People are killed, both the innocent and the combatants. Property is destroyed. Yet when (not if) the people of Iraq begin to speak of the removal of Saddam and the new freedom they enjoy, I hope you will do a truthful story on that.
It will be interesting to see, a number of years from now, when the people of Iraq are living under a democracy, which type of government they agree is better for them.
I can't understand why you and others in the Arab media feel that Arabs can only exist under dictators. Why do you believe that Arabs can't rule themselves? The Arab's where once one of the brightest lights in world civilization. I can only hope that in this century that the Arab world can begin to pull itself out of the several hundred year decline it has been in.
Embracing the future, building a better tomorrow and not living in the self-delusions of the past would be a good first step.

Dear Kalvan and other similar persuasions,
Thank you for your feedback. We, and we are sure you also, do believe that two wrongs never make a right, or do they in the USA?
)The Editors
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