I am writing in response to the July 29 letter written by Richard D. Smith of Farmville. He is saying that Saddam Hussein's regime was justified in killing all those Kurds with poison gas. He says that the Kurds deserved it, as Hussein was a rightful leader.

Are you insane, Mr. Smith? What you are saying is nothing more than defense of the Holocaust. Was Hitler a rightful ruler? Was he justified in slaughtering more than 10 million people? Jews, Gypsies and gays alike fell under the Nazi regime. The only difference here is the amount of people involved.

Poison gas is a weapon of mass destruction. It does not destroy homes, buildings or any other man-made structures. It simply kills on a wide scale. Saddam Hussein did possess various gases, including Sarin and mustard gas. Do you have any idea what he did with these? Obviously not.

Not only did he kill thousands of Kurds in an unprovoked attack with them, he used them in war. Have you ever heard of the Iran-Iraq war? Saddam Hussein, using chemical weapons that were supplied to him by various chemical firms in the U.S., Germany, France, the U.K. and China, killed both Iraqis and Iranians in their conflict.

You attempt to argue that killing the Kurds is still OK because that wasn't used in war and thus is not outlawed. Well, what about genocide? Is that OK? Is that acceptable in your twisted view of the world? I hope for your sake that you come to your senses.

JOE HARRINGTON

Greenville