`Bush is arrogant, a coward; Saddam, pig-headed'

U.S. President George Bush commenced his preliminary attacks on Iraq with around 40 missiles on Thursday, despite the heavy antiwar protests worldwide. Many deem the U.S.-led war to be unfair, and as the result of an incentive to remove Saddam Hussein from power -- but for unclear reasons. The Jakarta Post talked to some people on the streets for their response to the war.

Naman, 59, lives in Petamburan, Central Jakarta, who sometimes helps his wife sell soft drinks in West Jakarta. He has three children in Cirebon, West Java:

I know from newspapers and television reports that Bush has started attacking Iraq with his army. I was disappointed to learn this.

I am completely at odds with this act of aggression as I believe it goes against humanity. I take pity on the innocent civilians in Iraq who would be victimized by the U.S.-led war.

I also wonder how could Bush dare to attack Iraq, when in fact, the people of America and in most parts of the world oppose his plans. He really is arrogant.

On the other hand, Saddam is also pig-headed. If he was a good leader, he would have chosen to surrender for the sake of the loyal people of Iraq, rather than choose to victimize them. I guess Saddam and his family only think of their own safety, hiding in the safest locations, while he calls upon his people to defend him.

In my opinion, the two leaders are both stubborn and are relying only on their sense of pride, not their sensibility. If they are real men, it would be better if Bush and Saddam were to fight a face-to-face duel in front of their people.

They are simply cowards, particularly Bush. Why should he propagate to other countries the forming of a coalition to wage war against Iraq? America is a superpower that can defeat any country easily, forget Iraq.

I'm sure that the war is based neither on political nor religious reasons, but rather arrogance -- reasons of personal revenge between the two leaders.

If people think religion is the main reason, we would be the stupid ones. Religion deals with the relationship between men and God, and is not about war.

Anyway, nothing good will come of war, regardless of the reason behind it. War is no longer the best solution for this modern world, and would do no good to anyone. The loser will, of course, escape, and the winner will be left with nothing honorable. It's useless.

I'm only afraid that if the war lasts longer than anyone expects, we will be the one to bear the negative impacts of it.

Randek (not his real name), 38, is a security officer at a building in Central Jakarta, which houses an international organization. He resides in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta, with his wife and three children:

I can hardly understand what the U.S. President was thinking of when he started the war against Iraq. I completely condemn the attack.

I wonder why Bush wanted to use violence to oppress such a small state like Iraq? Why is he so mercilessly victimizing innocent people in the name of worldwide security?

He is just a total coward, I guess. He mobilized his military to camouflage his personal ambition and pride. Even an idiot can see that the U.S. will win the war, because Iraq is nothing in terms of power. It's all so stupid.

Bush is so arrogant that even other countries are unable to stop his plans to pick a fight against Iraq for no good reason. Bush should have realized that a war would only come to nothing in the end.

In a way, as a Muslim, I personally feel hurt knowing that many Iraqi Muslims will be the casualties of this war.

Still, I realize that the war is not based on a battle of religions between the two countries, so it would be wrong to say that the U.S.-led war against Iraq is a war against Islam.

I also regret that the United Nations lacks the clout to stop Bush in his ambitions to beat Saddam.

I was already feeling the impacts of a possible war then, because I had to work harder to anticipate the daily rallies that would come here to protest the U.S. and the UN.

I wish I could join them in protesting the war, but my profession prevents me from doing so.

Dayat, 30, is a cigarette hawker in Roxy, West Jakarta. He lives in Dukuh Atas, Central Jakarta, with fellow vendors, while his wife and son live in Tasikmalaya, West Java:

I saw on television that America had attacked Iraq with lethal missiles targeting civilians' residences in that small country.

Even ignorant people like me can understand that this war is really unfair -- a superpower, equipped with the most advanced technology, backed by its allies attacks a small, powerless country like Iraq. For shame!

I think President Bush is not reasonable in this. He could have found a better solution than war.

The war does not make any sense, if I may say so, even though I'm uneducated. Of course, Iraq will be the loser. Above all else, though, I feel sorry for their people.

In any case, it's a personal conflict between those two presidents, so why should ordinary people have to suffer? Sounds ridiculous, right?

I don't think that the problem is a conflict of religion. If that were the case, then our country would react to the war. I think it will be misleading to say that it is about religion.

Anyway, why should I think of this seriously? It's happening in another country, not in Indonesia. It's better that I think of how to get by and support my family. I think our life is already so hard -- thinking about a silly war will only be a waste of energy.

-- Leo Wahyudi S.