FizzingWhizzbees said:
Firstly - it's not solely Saddam's actions which have been responsible for those deaths. UNICEF states that over half a million children have died because of sanctions, because those sanctions have prevented them from getting adequate food or healthcare supplies. [/B]
Hi Fizz, good to see you posting!
I have to disagree with you here on your numbers. I would also submit that it is trajic and that sanctions have "contributed" but they are not the sole cause.
Bagdhad controls the surveys that international groups conduct in their country. they do not allow UNICEF full access to their country. They do allow access to areas where the suffering is greater. One reason I believe UNICEF's numbers are incorrect is that After the UN instated the OIL for Food Program, the number of dying increased by 2,000 a month in 1999. This makes no sense. Humanitarian relief was going into the country.
There is ample evidence of preexhisting poverty, malnutrition, and a lack of proper medical care long before the Gulf War. This study was conducted in 1987 after the Iran Iraq War by Tufts University. The condition of the state of Iraq was kept very quiet by Saddam, for political reasons. Two of which, fear that the outside world thing he is weak, and for fear that his own people would rise against him.
The Iraqi infrastructure was badly damaged in the Iran Iraq War. Then with the invasion of Kuwaitt, Saddam used schools and hospitals in Iraq to store looted materials from Kuwaitt. "HE" destroyed his own hospitals. It is estimated that after the Gulf War Iraq needed $126 Billion Dollars to rebuild.
In actuality, the problems intially did not come as a result of food as wheat output increased from the Gulf War End to 1995 by 50%. The problem was their water suppies and sanitation systems were failing. They cannibalized and fixed things as best they could, but eventually they failed. The main reason of suffering in Iraq, has been disease.
THeir economy failed after The Iran/Iraq War. This added to the suffering, and this was one of the reasons Saddam invaded Kuwaitt. He needed access to the oil to turn his economy around as the price of oil was falling due to increased output by Kuwaitt and Saudi Arabia. By the end of the Gulf War, the sanctions and oil embargo further damaged the iraqi economy.
This did not change what Saddam did with the money coming into his country. Defence spending 5 Billion a year to 2 Billion a year in 1999. 2.5 Billion a year to build 50 monuments to honor Saddam. Wow, he cares about his people. Let's blame the sanctions!!!!!
Saddam has continuously distrubuted humanitarian aid, not where it was most needed. He has given it to the areas of the country where people are loyal to him. Entire groups of people have been DENIED basic human needs by "SADDAM" while other groups have been kept fat and happy. In some cases, HOSPITALS have been closed in areas where people are not supportive of Saddam and the equiptment moved to cities where Saddam has recieved the most support.
The United Nations reported that TIKRIT, SAMARA, and Bagdhad are privelaged cities. Member sof the Military and the Ba'ath party also benefit.
Since the GULF WAR:
*Saddams wealth has increased to $6 Billion a year.
*He has built 50 new palaces.
*Used pumping equiptment to build lavish waterfalls and fountains while there are areas of the country without water.
*UNSCOM inspectors found stores of medicines in wharehouses being kept from the public.
Since 1999, the Oil for food program has in fact reduced child mortality rate to below the numbers Before the GULF WAR.
However:
*Medicine that Iraq gets is being put into wharehouses and not distributed. Estimates in 1999 are that only 48% of the medicine the United Nations has forced Iraq to buy make it to the people.
*Baby Formula is smuggled out of the country at a profit.
The numbers of people who have died since the Gulf War cannot be known for sure.
Iraq claims to have increased from 1987-1997 from 16.5 to 22 million. This is an incredibly high growth rate. Not very believable numbers.
Columbia University professor Richard Garfield did his own estimates. His methodology is the current method that most organizations use to calculate such things today. His own estimates are that 130,000 to 150,000 children have died. The total over the same time period by his estimates are theat 200, 000 - 225,000 people have died.
If you want to blame the sanctions you can. The sanctions were designed with the mistaken belief that Saddam would have been removed from power by now and the sanctions lifted. I blame the fact that this man has used the sanctions to help those who are friendly to him and hurt those that have opposed him.
I would like to point out......totall Iraqi military casualties 30,000 in the Gulf War. 5,000 Civilian casualities. I have used the high end estimates for these numbers.
I believe that 35,000 casualties in a WAR are much more humane than watching 225,000 Casulaties due to this man's continuous oppression of his people.
Peace
PS. I have taken these numbers from pg. 125-139 of "THE THREATENING STORM" by Kenneth Pollack. I cannot post a link in case my integrity is questioned.