Leslie Stahl: "Half a million Iraqi children have died - more children than
died in Hiroshima. Is the price worth it?"
Madeline Albright: "Yes; we think the price is worth it."
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OVERVIEW
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Sanctions Against Iraq Fail
After Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in August 1990, the United States forced the
United Nations to impose economic sanctions on Iraq. The U.N. resolution
promised to lift the sanctions when Iraq no longer possesses weapons of mass
destruction or the ability to produce them. Yet both the Bush and Clinton
administrations have stated the sanctions will remain until Saddam Hussein
is out of power.
Nearly a decade of massive sanctions on the Iraqi people has created a
severe humanitarian crisis and failed to achieve the illegitimate U.S. goal
of removing another head of state from power. Not only has Hussein continued
to violate the political and civil rights of the Iraqi people, but the
economic sanctions have devastated the entire society.
Sanctions Punish Innocent Iraqi People
While leaders wrangle over inspections and disarmament, the sanctions are
devastating, not the government, but the civilian Iraqi population.
Sanctions have killed over 500,000 Iraqi children, and over a third of Iraqi
children are undernourished.
The quality of Iraqi health care has regressed by several decades as
virtually eradicated diseases such as malaria, typhoid and cholera, have
re-emerged since 1991 and reached epidemic levels.
The last nine years of bombing and sanctions imposed on Iraq have claimed
more than one million lives, many of them children under five.
Campaign to End Sanctions Against Iraq
When U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright was asked about the loss of
innocent lives caused by the economic sanctions against Iraq, she replied,
"We think the price is worth it."
Secretary Albright is wrong. The leaders of virtually all major U.S.
religious denominations have denounced the economic sanctions as morally
wrong.
Opposition to Saddam Hussein does not give the United States the right to
starve Iraq's population. Clearly, the sanctions against Iraq are both
politically ineffective and morally wrong.
We are mobilizing concerned citizens to hold the U.S. government accountable
for the unjustified and unnecessary loss of Iraqi lives and to end these
economic sanctions.
[Student Peace Action Network (SPAN)]
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FRIDAY, APRIL 14TH: TAKE ACTION
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This Friday, April 14th, postoffices around the country are going to be
packed with people trying to get their tax forms mailed in on time. We need
to let these people know that their tax dollars are funding the bombing
campaign in Iraq and emphasize the importance of removing the economic
sanctions that have destroyed the lives of the Iraqi people. Instead of us
targeting taxpayers at numerous postoffices around the Los Angeles area, I
think it will be most effective if we concentrate our efforts and all gather
at one central postoffice. Most post offices close at about 5PM, but there
is one near the LAX that is open 24 hrs., so I have decided to choose that
one as the official site of action.
So what are we going to do at the post office?
At the post office:
1. We will distribute literature about the bombing campaign and the Iraqi
sanctions. This information will be handed out to people standing in line
and people leaving the post office. I have the literature and I'll make
photocopies, so don't worry if you are unable to bring your own.
2. We will mail packages of food supplies, medicines, and/or school supplies
in excess of 12 oz. to Iraq. Mailing any of those items in excess of 12 oz.
is a violation of UN sanctions and is considered an act of civil
disobedience. The worst that can happen is the post office may refuse to
send the package. If that happens, I will have President Clinton and
Madeline Albright's White House mailing addresses on hand and will ask the
clerk to reroute the package to either Clinton or Albright (take your pick).
We will put notes inside each of the packages asking for our government to
remove the economic sanctions it has imposed on Iraq, so that if the
packages don't make it to Iraq, our President and Secretary of State will
know why they are receving food, medical, and school supplies. Some of us
will be mailing these packages while others will be distributing the
literature.
During the week following the 14th:
1. We will write letters to and/or call our representatives in Congress and
encourage them to support House Resolution 3825 (HR3825) which proposes US
humanitarian exports of food, medicine, medical equipment and agricultural
products to Iraq, and urges our government to take all necessary steps to
end the suffering caused by the economic sanctions. I will send out an
e-mail next week regarding the House Resolution.
The action will take place from 3:00PM-6:00PM on Friday at the US Post
Office - LAX at the corner of Airport and Arbor Vitae. See the remainder of
this message for directions.
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
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1. If you don't know much about the situation in Iraq and would like more
information, check out one of the following links:
Student Peace Action Network (SPAN) http://www.gospan.org/iraq.html
Iraq Action Coalition http://iraqaction.org/
International Action Center (IAC) http://www.iacenter.org/iraq.htm
Z-Net (Z Magazine) http://www.zmag.org/CrisesCurEvts/Iraq/IraqCrisis.htm
It might be a good idea to to read through some of the fact sheets at the
URLs listed above so that when you show up on Friday and people ask
questions, you will be prepared to answer them confidently.
2. Understand that this is NOT going to be a loud and raucous protest.
People will already be stressed out because of their taxes and we do not
want to add to their frustration by getting all up in their faces with
information about Iraq. So understand that if you would like to participate
in the event on Friday, you must agree to: a. distribute literature and
answer peoples' questions in a very respectful manner and b. leave the post
office if any of the employees or security guards asks you to do so.
3. I am going to be buying the food, medical, and school supplies in bulk,
make the packages the night before, and then bring them on Friday. If you
would like to chip in by bringing a few dollars with you to the post office,
I would really appreciate it. And if you would like to bring your own
packages, make sure you address them to:
The Iraqi Red Crescent Society
General Headquarters
Al-Mansour - Baghdad
PO Box 6143, Iraq
and write "Asprin for Iraqi Children", "Drinking Water", "Powdered Milk",
"Bandages for Iraqi Hospitals" or whatever you bought in big letters on the
package so that people at the post office will know what you're mailing
without you having to tell them. And don't forget to make sure the packages
weigh in excess of 12 oz.
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DATE / TIME / LOCATION / DIRECTIONS
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Date: Friday, April 14th, 2000
Time: 3:00PM-6:00PM
(even if you can't make it the whole time please stop by to show your
support)
Location: US Post Office - LAX
(corner of Airport and Arbor Vitae)
Directions:
--From 405N--
1. Take 405N
2. Exit La Tijera (make left)
3. Left on Airport
4. Corner of Airport & Arbor Vitae (on right side of street - brown
building)
--From 405S--
1. Take 405S
2. Exit La Tijera (make right)
3. Left on Airport
4. Corner of Airport & Arbor Vitae (on right side of street - brown
building)
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CLOSING / CONTACT INFO
===========================================================================
In closing, this movement needs as much support as it can get. This is a
national day of action, meaning that students from over 30 organizations
nationwide under the auspices of the Student Peace Action Network (SPAN)
will be working on the same campaign. And to my knowledge, this will be the
only anti-Iraqi sanctions action in Los Angeles on the 14th, so we need to
have a strong turnout. So if you think you will be able to make it, please
contact me and let me know:
Milad Ershaghi
tel: pgr: e-mail:
so I can get a rough estimate of how many photocopies of the anti-sanctions
literature I should make and how many packages I should put together.
I can use your help the day before to put the packages together and I can
especially use your help on the day of to spread the awareness. And
remember, this is not just a Muslim issue; this is not just an Arab issue;
this is a humanitarian issue. It is our obligation as concerned students to
take a stand against the brutal tactics employed by our government. And if
this day of action materializes, we will have shown that students organized
for a particular cause can really make a difference.
So again, spread the word, I hope to see you on Friday, and contact me if
you have any comments or questions. Alright PEACE
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"One has to have a great dose of humanity, a great dose of the feeling of
justice and of truth not to fall into extreme dogmatism, into a cold
scholasticism, into isolation from the masses. Every day one has to
struggle that this love to a living humanity transform itself into concrete
acts, in acts that serve as examples, as motivation."
-Che Guevara
"Every lie is another brick in the path to hell"
You lost me in there, almost literately.
Sorry...
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"Look! I'm quoting myself."
- me
(-=\V/=-)
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"Goverment exists to serve, not to lead. We do not exist by its volition, it exists by ours. Bear that in mind when you insult your neighbors for refusing to bow before it." J. Richmond, UB Student
This, of course, is the case in all countries controlled by dictatorial or totalitarian governments, and was the true cause of most famines throughout the last 50 years, including the famous one in Ethiopia.
So if you want to really make a difference for these people, join a movement to displace Hussein and his cronies and institute a truly democratic society in Iraq.
Thank you for calling.
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"Nobody knows this, but I'm scared all the time... of what I might do, if I ever let go." -- Michael Garibaldi
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"One has to have a great dose of humanity, a great dose of the feeling of
justice and of truth not to fall into extreme dogmatism, into a cold
scholasticism, into isolation from the masses. Every day one has to
struggle that this love to a living humanity transform itself into concrete
acts, in acts that serve as examples, as motivation."
-Che Guevara
"Every lie is another brick in the path to hell"
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"No children have ever meddled with the Republican Party and have lived to tell about it." Sideshow Bob
[This message has been edited by Jeff Raven (edited April 12, 2000).]
Besides, as others pointed out, it's not a practical solution. The money won't get to the children no matter what happens.
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"Sometimes I wish the planet would be scoured with cleansing fire. Other times I just wish Frank would be."
Sol System
I wouldn't say building yourself a dozen new palaces since 1991 is HELPING your people, is it, now?
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"Nobody knows this, but I'm scared all the time... of what I might do, if I ever let go." -- Michael Garibaldi
There we go, much better.
If Sodamn Insane would actually let the UN do their thing, the sanctions would ease up... He's the one causing the problems.
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"You shot him! You shot him dead!!"
"Well, he was attacking me with a banana!"
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Well I'm a Bada$$ cowboy living in a cowboy day wicky-wicky-wak yo yo bang bang
me and Artemus Clydefrog go save Selma Hayek from the big metal spider
Wicky-wicky-wak wicky-wicky-wicky-wak
Bada$$ cowboy from the West Si-yiide
Do not let this happen------------------
"When You're Up to Your Ass in Alligators, Today Is the First Day of the Rest of Your Life."
-- Management slogan, Ridcully-style (Terry Pratchett, The Last Continent, Discworld)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Prakesh's Star Trek Site
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You are wise, witty, and wonderful, but you spend far too much time reading this sort of trash.
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Well I'm a Bada$$ cowboy living in a cowboy day wicky-wicky-wak yo yo bang bang
me and Artemus Clydefrog go save Selma Hayek from the big metal spider
Wicky-wicky-wak wicky-wicky-wicky-wak
Bada$$ cowboy from the West Si-yiide
Point taken.
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You are wise, witty, and wonderful, but you spend far too much time reading this sort of trash.
Ethical foreign policy? Bullshit! This is just a way of making cheap political capital - who cares about the suffering of the people. There's all this stuff about wanting Saddam out, but if he goes, who will the Western countries have to vilify next? If they wanted to, Britain and the States could have killed Saddam in the Gulf War, but that would have meant that the whole episode would have ended. Now, everytime there's some trouble at home, lets bomb Iraq! That bastard Saddam is at it again!
All this is made of Saddam killing his people which is reprehensible and unforgivable, but the sanctions have probably killed more people by now than saddam himself. (I don't have the actual figures, it is a guess). Look at the situation in Zimbabwe. Mugabe is killing his own people there - he may now see them as his OWN people but they are. What's being done? Only words and diplomatic pressure. Why isn't there the same level of outrage there? Saddam is here and he'll stay because he's an easy attention diverter from the real issues of the day. When he dies, we'll have someone else but not before.
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[This message has been edited by Orion Syndicate (edited April 15, 2000).]
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You are wise, witty, and wonderful, but you spend far too much time reading this sort of trash.
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Frank's Home Page
"It's easy to learn to drive a golf cart, but it's hard to express yourself in one." - Larry Wall
But seriously, I do think Japan would make a good state.
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You are wise, witty, and wonderful, but you spend far too much time reading this sort of trash.
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Frank's Home Page
"It's easy to learn to drive a golf cart, but it's hard to express yourself in one." - Larry Wall
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You are wise, witty, and wonderful, but you spend far too much time reading this sort of trash.
You'll be surprise how many Taiwanese thinks like me, since that only 39% of the votes went to the independent party. The Nationalist would have won, but due to some stupid conflicts within the party, Nationalist end up with 2 canadates competiting with each other. Still, Nationalist got about 60.5% of the votes.
I'm pretty sure when other countries when deal with such "minority election", they would call for another election, since that it's pretty clear that the winner doesn't really represent the people. But us the Taiwanese are stupid enough to let it go.
And you'll be surprised to learn where the independenlist got their winning votes from; they got their votes from the southern part of the island, where the people are....how should we say...not very well educated.
I'm not saying that we embrassed the idea of a communist rule, or a military invation, but most of us sure are proud to be "Chinese" (without the blood-shed).
And not to be offensive or anything, we are freaking tired of American aircraft carriers in our territoral sea, geez, couldn't you guys butt out for once and let Chinese people solve their own differences?
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Okey, okey, here's my question:
If you are an immortal, do you "rot" simply because of the
nuclear decay of the Carbon-14 particles inside your body?
For instance, Iraq. What is our goal? Simply ousting a leader is insufficient, as the next one could be just as bad if not worse. If our goal is to extend to the Iraqi people some of the rights that we in the West see as universal, then it seems clear that the sanctions against Iraq need to be reexamined. Not because they are a bad idea, but because they simply don't appear to be working.
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"What did it mean to fly? A tremor in your soul. To resist the dull insistance of gravity."
--
Camper Van Beethoven
Orion: Good Point.
I saw this editorial in the Toronto Star today. What think you, huh? Please note that I do not neccessarily agree with any opinions stated in this editorial piece.
April 22, 2000
Ease Iraq sanctions
Saddam Hussein would rather see his 22 million people suffer than bow to international law. His contempt for Canada's offer this week of $1 million to help re-equip hospitals and schools shows monstrous indifference to their welfare. Iraq's misery will end only when he no longer is in power.
Yet Prime Minister Jean Chr�tien's government remains determined, and rightly so, to do what it can for ordinary Iraqis despite Saddam.
Ottawa will deliver its help directly through the Red Cross and UNICEF.
This sterile confrontation illustrates how difficult a time the United Nations Security Council can have, restraining regimes that threaten the peace by using sanctions, rather than making war on them. Sanctions have been used 14 times, mostly in the past decade, with mixed success.
While the Security Council continues, as it should, to enforce strict military sanctions on Saddam's regime, its economic embargo has been relaxed to the point where Iraq is exporting more oil than it did before the Gulf War a decade ago, and can use two-thirds of the revenue to buy food and medicine.
Sanctions will be lifted entirely, of course, if Saddam lets U.N. weapons inspectors return to Baghdad to certify that he no longer has nuclear, chemical or biological weapons, and missiles.
But Canada should argue the case for further relaxing even the current, less stringent sanctions, whatever he does. Iraq should be free to import the equipment it needs to spur oil production. More aid should be delivered. And the U.N. should ease its requirement that much of the oil revenues be earmarked for war reparations.
These measures could put billions worth of food, medicine and other help, into the peoples' hands, without unduly aiding the regime.
Rethinking the Iraq sanctions is part of a broader, and welcome, effort to make sanctions generally ``more effective and more humane,'' as Foreign Affairs Minister Lloyd Axworthy put it in a Security Council debate this week.
Sanctions need to be better-targeted, to hammer criminal regimes but spare people. They should be more flexible, and closely monitored to ensure that they are effective and not having unintended consequences. They should be used with incentives like security assurances, aid, trade, debt relief, and above all, generous humanitarian relief.
Sanctions committees should operate more transparently. And the Security Council should consider putting ``sunset clauses'' on sanctions, so that the council would revisit them if they fail to deliver the desired results, rather than let ineffective measures continue indefinitely as is the case now.
``Smarter'' sanctions might have hurt Saddam's regime more and caused less suffering to his oppressed people.
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"My Name is Elmer Fudd, Millionaire. I own a Mansion and a Yacht."
Psychiatrist: "Again."
[This message has been edited by Tahna Los (edited April 22, 2000).]
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"Nobody knows this, but I'm scared all the time... of what I might do, if I ever let go." -- Michael Garibaldi