Concern for the people of Iraq

I have appreciated your paper's balanced coverage of the Persian Gulf war and its aftermath in Iraq, the Middle East, and repercussions in this country. But the editorial "Waiting Game in Iraq," Jan. 8, appears to support continuing the embargo in order to accomplish a doubtful political end.

What are the present objectives of the US and United Nations in Iraq - to destroy nuclear weapons, to demolish a war machine, to topple the present regime? Does an embargo, which is inflicting extreme hardship on a civilian populace (including severe malnutrition, crushing inflation, and even starvation), serve those ends? Is anyone dealing fairly with the Iraqi people? Mary M. Davis, Seattle

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