May 10, 2004

Press strangely quiet about Iraqi atrocities

Let me begin by saying that any U.S. or allied military personnel who have perpetrated any crimes against Iraqi prisoners of war as detailed in and forbidden by the Geneva Convention should be brought before a war-crimes tribunal and, if found guilty, sentenced to the fullest extent of international law.

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The press is always quick to point out what "the United States" has done. However, has the press mentioned to the world that neither Iraq nor its military ever followed those very same Geneva Conventions? Iraq had, in fact, made it a policy of inflicting human atrocities again and again over the past 20 years.

It is truly disgusting for the press of the world to be utterly shocked at what was done to the Iraqi people, demand justice and crucify the United States and Britain for what certain individuals have done when that same liberal press demanded nothing when Iraqis themselves perpetrated considerably worse crimes.

Where is the demand for justice from the press with regards to the contractors who were killed without reason? The press has barely said "boo" and certainly has not demanded any Iraqi heads on a plate after that act of perfect barbarism.

Certainly the allied military personnel should be punished for "humiliating" those poor Iraqi prisoners of war.

However, perhaps the press will consider that at least they didn't shoot the Iraqis, light them on fire, drag their corpses through the streets of a city, hang the charred, tattered bodies from a bridge while the press looked on and celebrate such a "victory."

Chris Ficco
Aurora

Entire Vietnam War an atrocity - like Iraq

Vincent Carroll questions John Kerry's statements about atrocities during the Vietnam War ("Kerry agonistes," April 24) and relies on one historian's comment that "no orders were issued to commit atrocities" as a defense. This trivializes the enormity of those charges.

The entire war was an atrocity, causing the deaths of 3.4 million persons, according to the man most likely to know, then Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara (as seen in the recent movie The Fog of War).

Does that mean the Americans who served in Vietnam were all war criminals? Of course not. For one thing, many of them were drafted and forced to go. Many were simply doing an impossible job as nobly as possible, just like in Iraq.

The same can't be said for the politicians and policy makers of that era who promoted imaginary provocations as casus belli while justifying their actions in the loftiest of terms. And all the time they schemed to transform their violent obsessions into national policy. The citizenry was duped, and countless men and women died. Just like in Iraq.

Casey Frank
Denver

'Bruised' mayor will need a thicker skin

Bruises, Mr. Mayor? What did you expect when you went into that meeting with a lot of city employees who feel there is no clear message as to how they are supposed to defend themselves against a deadly attack, who feel that one of their co-workers has been thrown to the wolves, and who find themselves trying to juggle written Denver police policy and unwritten, mercurial political city policy ("Tense talks leave mayor 'bruised,' " May 1)?

Yes, what did you expect?

According to articles in the News, our manager of safety has said that officer James Turney did not violate department policy in the incident.

That's right - he did what he was trained and authorized by the law to do.

But, in the case of political pressure, the manager of safety is going to do what no one else in a responsible position has recommended?

If I were you, Mayor Hickenlooper, I would toughen up my skin. The ride is just beginning.

Jim Weber
Thornton

Littwin slow to offend

I must say I am impressed by Mike Littwin and how effortlessly he twists the facts to suit his own needs.

First, since he can't attack Pete Coors directly because he hasn't had a chance to start campaigning yet, he takes the cheapest of cheap shots (been taking lessons from Todd Bertuzzi, Mike?) and attacks Coors' beer ads instead ("Campbell endorses Pete Coors - and twins," April 14).

Then almost in the same breath, he deftly takes a cheap shot at Ben Campbell too, even at the expense of "misquoting" the senator.

The thing I don't get is this: The "twins" ads have been around for couple of years now. Why is Littwin is just now getting around to saying he is offended by them?

Curt Brewer
Westminster

Hillary entertaining

I was very entertained to see that Hillary Clinton has made an accusation that "This administration is filled with people who disparage sexual harassment laws . . ." ("Throng of voices," April 26).

I have to wonder what she will do for an encore - call a kettle black? But then I realized that the leader of the administration she was such a big part of did not disparage sexual harassment laws at all . . . he merely flouted them.

Michael Trimble
Littleton

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