The Main Victims Are THE CHILDREN Of Iraq

[Jcrowley]

IRAQ: Children have been the main victims of war

BAGHDAD, 19 November (IRIN) - With insurgency and sectarian violence continuing to escalate in beleaguered Iraq, children are some of the most vulnerable. Facing limited healthcare and education as well as witnessing death and destruction on a daily basis has made their existence increasingly miserable.

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Nur recalled an incident when a 12-year-old friend was picked up from school by her mother. An unknown gang kidnapped and raped them repeatedly for three days before killing them. "Is that the destiny of an innocent girl in Iraq? Is that the human rights that we hear everyone taking about?" Nur asked.

Lack of basics for life

In addition to the danger of being violently killed, a lack of basic health services and good quality food means children in Iraq face a host of other threats. Iraq's almost 4.8 million children only have access to one of the worst health systems in the Middle East. Malnutrition and waterborne diseases such as diarrhea have become common, health officials say.

"Children are dying everyday because of a lack of essential medical support. The bad sewage system and lack of purified water, particularly in suburbs, has been a serious problem which might take years to solve," Ahmed Obeid, press officer in the Ministry of Health, said.

"Doctors are struggling to maintain the health of millions of innocent children, but the basics should be dealt with first. If the sewage and water systems are not improved, more children will die from diseases such as diarrhoea and vomiting, which are simple to cure in normal times," Obeid added.

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/IRIN/c961b4f6e436a53f224db4d78cd168e2.htm

[Octafish]

1. It's been that way for 16 years.

Children have died because of bad water, no medicine, no formula, insufficient food, bombs, bullets and just about every way since Gulf War 1. Clinton, FWIW, didn't end the economic sanctions that hurt the innocent victims of war and victims of Saddam.

For the Bush Crime Family, it's just about the oil. The First Gulf War was just as unnecessary as the last one. The USA, through acting ambassador April Glaspie, said the U.S. had no interest in "Arab-Arab border disputes," giving the green light to Saddam. He then invaded, because Kuwait had been slant-drilling into his main oilfield.

[nam78_two]

2. K&R/nt

[bobbolink]

3. I'm going to have to take issue. We always hear about children, because

it seems to be the only way to get to people's hearts.

Yet, what do kids do if their parents die for lack of health care???

We need ALL.

Also, being poor and ignored myself, because it's all about kids, I just feel like screaming, WHAT AM I, CHOPPED LIVER????

[Jcrowley]

4. Point taken

and of course ALL are to be given dignity. The war rages on and the most vulnerable always suffer the most.

It's all part of the same process.

[Jcrowley]

5. Kick