Zeljko Dimitrijevic: I hope Putin will harshly punish rebels for their crimes.

Respected Editor of PRAVDA,

I came to your news site to find information on Putin's revenge for the terrorist bombing in Grozny, and instead I see ridiculous stories blown out of porportion on the so called "torture and murder" of Iraqi's in prisons at US hands.

Bill Phillips: American Atrocities - Nothing New 05/10/2004 12:48 and Time for regime change

Don't tell me the Russian people become so weak they consider "humilating photos" torture and murder?

I would hope Putin uses a strong hands with the terrorists behind the stadium bombing in Grozny, much more brutal than the "taking of humiliating photos".

Are you unaware of the reaction to these ridiculous crimes by many immigrate Iraqis themselves? While some Iraqis are bothered by the images, others welcome them:

"It's a terrible thing and it adds more wood to the fire," said Hussein Al-Muhanna, "(But) to me, it's not the issue I have to worry about. To me, the main issue is Iraq's future."

Imad al-Turfy shows no sympathy for the prisoners, saying their treatment paled when compared with the horrors inflicted under Saddam Hussein's regime.

"They raped our women. They killed our kids. So there's hatred between us, the people here, and the people in Iraq," he said, referring to the Shiite Muslims who emigrated and the Sunni Muslims who ruled Iraq under Saddam.

"Anything coming to them would make me happy."

Al-Turfy said he could "tell a million stories" about Saddam's abuses: the people who were blown apart by dynamite or thrown off 20-story buildings, or the family that was buried alive in a car in Baghdad.

"You can't imagine," he said. "They killed us like rats. Like anything cheap."

So to view photos of prisoners in humiliating positions -- one month after seeing another chilling image, the charred and mutilated corpses of Americans hanging from a bridge over the Euphrates River -- was "worth it, because they did the same to us," al-Turfy said, a comment echoed by several other Iraqis.

Mosafer Al-Yaseri said that the abuse by some soldiers should not taint the overall efforts of the U.S. Army.

"(The Iraqis) feel soldiers come from good families. Over there, there are 135,000 soldiers. Out of that, 10 people are bad," he said.

His cousin, Salam Al-Yaseri, said that the images were "not good for the American government or the American people. ... As you know, we are Muslims.

This is a very bad thing in our religion. The people that did this did not (represent) the American people."

Al-Muhanna said the photos of prisoners were "embarrassing for me."

Don't you think it would be a good time to forget our past differences and work together for the prosperity and security or all civilised country?

You seem to have very little insight into the way things really are here in USA, or outside Russia in general. My family came here from Jugoslavija and although we share common roots with our Russian brethern maybe we should live in the past, too, and hold the grudge for the times the Russians let us down?

You really need to show some strength! How do you think we felt when the former administration murdered thousands of innocent Serbs to defend Muslims? But, you should know also by far the majority of us in this country support this current administration, although it far from perfect.

It is my hope Putin harshly punishes the rebels for their crimes. And before you foolishly continue your misguided attack on all Americans you should remember that this government has the power to fight against revenge on the
Chechens, as your government has chosen to fight our revenge on our enemies.

As a major news source in a powerful country, Russia, you have unique powers to make a different future for all of us. It is a great benefit to our common enemies for us to be fighting among ourselves. We would achieve much better results by working together.

Zeljko Dimitrijevic