AN IRAQI FAMILY'S TOLL

John F. Burns of The New York Times writes a profile of an Iraqi doctor whose family were targeted by Saddam Hussein's henchmen. The piece is accompanied by photographs from a 1985 videotape in which the man's nephew and others were executed by having grenades taped to their chests.

After a harrowing account of the doctor's experiences, one has to wonder what's the difference between U.S. logisitcal, military and covert support of Hussein's regime then and now.

The doctor goes on to say:

"It is freedom the Americans have given us, but it is not good freedom. Yes, we wanted freedom against dictatorship, truth against lies, education and progress instead of pushing the intelligentsia down. But what have we got? There is no law, we live in the dark without electricity, there are no police to stop the thieves, nobody to control the traffic, no gasoline.

"In those respects, we say, 'Things were better under Saddam.'"