Letter: After Saddam

Sir: David Aaronovitch ("Unfortunately, there really was no alternative to the bombing", 22 December) and I A Shapiro (letter, 22 December) say that there is no alternative to bombing Iraq. This is not rue. The alternative is to remove Saddam and his regime once and for ever.

The US and Britain should have spent 10 per cent of the bombing cost on Iraqi opposition groups to encourage them to unite to help overthrow Saddam and establish a democratic government.

Bombing Iraq will not harm Saddam, it will only bring misery to the Iraqi people. Saddam will rebuild his arms supplies and his military power, and will continue to do so for years to come. This will also result in more bombings and additional suffering for the Iraqi people. By this bombing, have we really achieved anything other than the slaughter of innocent Iraqi lives? The only way to remove the weapons of mass destruction is to remove Saddam completely, and this can only be achieved by helping the Iraqi opposition.

Lifting sanctions is an essential part of the help, because hungry people can not fight a brutal regime.

Dr ABDUL-KHALIQ HUSSEIN

Morpeth, Northumberland