NP - Fighting the Forces of Invisibility

[Dan Jizzenberry]

David Morris wrote:

This (below) is the central point, isn't it?  The intentional deaths of the 
civilian population.  I still contend that death of these children was not a 
direct intention, but it was the result of both the war, which destroyed 
infrastructure, and the economic sanctions (1990) which destroyed the 
economy.  Yes, those sanctions were intended to force the populace to 
dispose of Saddam (which remains a noble goal), but that hasn't happened, 
and the weakest in the country are the ones most suffering.  Our (not just 
the US, but the UN's) siege of Iraq has failed.  Still, this is vastly 
different than "murder," which was my main objection to your post.  That 
word put us on the same level as terrorists.  Even if the deaths are still 
deaths, words are still important.

It should be remembered that the 1995 UN "oil for food" Resolution 986
enabled Iraq to sell up to $1 billion of oil every 90 days and use the
proceeds for humanitarian supplies to the country, and in 1999 resolution 
1284 authorized Iraq to export unlimited amounts of oil and to import a wide 
range of goods to meet the humanitarian needs of its population and to 
rehabilitate its civilian infrastructure.


>>>>I agree with much of what you've said here. However, the crime is not in 
>>>>attempting to oust Saddam through a painful embargo, but in realizing 
>>>>that the siege of Iraq has failed and refusing to put an end to it 
>>>>immediately. It's not quite murder, but it could be construed as 
>>>>torture. If the American government realizes that their embargo is a 
>>>>failure (and who's to say that they do or don't) then shouldn't they put 
>>>>an end to it and try something else? Shades of Vietnam after the 
>>>>Dickster assumed office. Make us look weak in front of the commies.

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