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  • TUESDAY NOVEMBER 23 2004 2:29 PM

But They're Free Now!

Submitted by jake_lex

Edited by legionnaire

The situation for children in Iraq has deteriorated significantly since the war that toppled Saddam. The rate of malnutrition among children under 5 has doubled, and programs that had been in place to try to aid children have been largely shut down or withdrawn from the country due to violence. And it's leading some Iraqis to pine for the good old days.

While attacks by insurgents have grown more violent and more frequent, deteriorating basic services take lives that many Iraqis said they had expected to improve under American stewardship.

Iraq's child malnutrition rate now roughly equals that of Burundi, a central African nation torn by more than a decade of war. It is far higher than rates in Uganda and Haiti.

"The people are astonished," said Khalil M. Mehdi, who directs the Nutrition Research Institute at the Health Ministry. The institute has been involved with nutrition surveys for more than a decade; the latest one was conducted in April and May but has not been publicly released.

Mehdi and other analysts attributed the increase in malnutrition to dirty water and to unreliable supplies of the electricity needed to make it safe by boiling. In poorer areas, where people rely on kerosene to fuel their stoves, high prices and an economy crippled by unemployment aggravate poor health.

"Things have been worse for me since the war," said Kasim Said, a day laborer who was at Baghdad's main children's hospital to visit his ailing year-old son, Abdullah. The child, lying on a pillow with a Winnie the Pooh washcloth to keep the flies off his head, weighs just 11 pounds.

"During the previous regime, I used to work on the government projects. Now there are no projects," his father said.

When he finds work, he added, he can bring home $10 to $14 a day. If his wife is fortunate enough to find a can of Isomil, the nutritional supplement that doctors recommend, she pays $7 for it.


The blame for the situation in Iraq not improving is not being placed solely at the feet of the "insurgency."

Baghdad residents often point out to reporters that after the 1991 Persian Gulf War left much of the capital a shambles, Hussein's government restored electricity and kerosene supplies in two months.


Once again, the Iraqi people are paying for an ill-conceived, badly planned war strategy that placed the political gain and, to use Colin Powell's phrase, "fucking crazy" ideological aims over the lives of Iraqis. It's sad to say they'd be better off if Saddam were still there, but they very well could be.

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legionnaire

legionnaire

Belgium
November 2003

NOV 23, 2004 02:30 PM

Editor's note: This is being published side by side with this article as a point/counterpoint on this particular issue.

Doghouse_Reilly

doghouse_reilly

I'm lost
February 2004

NOV 23, 2004 02:45 PM

People don't appreciate abstract notions of "freedom" as much as food? Shocking. shocked

Luis

Luis

Preston, ID
February 2004

NOV 23, 2004 03:23 PM

The 4 percent figuire is from a UNICEF survey, independent of Iraq and the U.S. in 2003, with results that about 4 percent were malnourished.

UpTight

UpTight

I'm lost
December 2003

NOV 23, 2004 03:55 PM

jake_lex said:
Once again, the Iraqi people are paying for an ill-conceived, badly planned war strategy that placed the political gain and, to use Colin Powell's phrase, "fucking crazy" ideological aims over the lives of Iraqis. It's sad to say they'd be better off if Saddam were still there, but they very well could be.



if it was the Iraqis pissing and moaning about the overthrow of one of history's vilest dictators I'd say "fuck 'em - if they want their dictator back they can have him". Actually though the ordinary Iraqis are pretty damn pleased we got rid of the cunt and wouldn't want him back.

The only people who seem to bemoan him being deposed are crazed Islamists, the remains of his ba'athists and whiney liberals who seem to have an obsessive-compulsive disorder about finding anything bad they possibly can about iraq to try and prove that getting rid of saddam was somehow a bad thing....

UpTight

UpTight

I'm lost
December 2003

NOV 23, 2004 03:57 PM

say what you like about pol pot, but at least the buses ran on time....

Koenigsegg

Koenigsegg

I'm lost
July 2004

NOV 23, 2004 03:57 PM

Albion said:
and whiney liberals who seem to have an obsessive-compulsive disorder about finding anything bad they possibly can about iraq to try and prove that getting rid of saddam was somehow a bad thing....



seriously

lostarchitect

lostarchitect

Brooklyn, NY
January 2004

NOV 23, 2004 04:02 PM

Albion said:
say what you like about pol pot, but at least the buses ran on time....




...because if they didn't, their driver would be shot?

yeah. awesome.

whatever

UpTight

UpTight

I'm lost
December 2003

NOV 23, 2004 04:06 PM

BTW - I found these recent comments by an iraqi blogger

In the past, I used to swallow my anger and frustration because I could get killed if I messed up with one of Saddam’s personal friends, but now Saddam is gone and I’m not afraid and I won’t stay silent anymore. This is a difference Mr. Chirac, and it’s a great one, probably just to me and the rest of Iraqis but not to you, and you just have to understand that it’s not all about you and your European dream which no one want to steal from you by the way.

The world is certainly not a better place after the war Mr. Chirac, but that’s your world, while our world, Iraqis as well as tens of millions of oppressed people everywhere who are dying for some help, is certainly MUCH better now, and I’m sure the Americans and the British world as well as most countries (including yours) is better and safer and will keep getting better. However I agree with you, as your world, your own personal world, the world of your fellow corrupt politicians in France, Russia, Germany, China and the stinking UN, your fortune and your influence is definitely suffering. I’m even surprised that you ‘saw’ that Saddam’s departure was positive “to a certain extent”, and I can’t wonder why is that! Is it because it left you with some bills you don’t have to pay?!

Is my language too offensive?! Not as half as offensive and irritating as yours and I will NEVER apologize, not even after you apologize and pay the Iraqis back all the money you have stolen from us in return for supporting your partner, Saddam and keeping him in charge for few more years.

You see, your problem and what separate you from men like Tony Blair is that you look only for what you might gain, and again “you” is not the French people, but rather you in person and the bunch of hypocrites that so sadly control the French people and manipulate them through lies and silly arguments. You never cared what would happen to Iraqis and the rest of the world had Saddam stayed in power, while Tony Blair did. Do you know why? Because he and the British government with all the brave British people live in our world, while you don’t.

Stupid British! Why should they care for us, America or their own kids when they can do exactly like you; take advantage of America’s need, blackmail her, support Saddam without taking much risk and gain billions of dollars.

Stupid British!Haven’t they learned from WW2 when you got your country back and even decided the fate of other nations on victory even though half of you made peace with the Nazis!? You certainly don’t owe the British and the Americans anything for that, as it was just their own stupidity not to do the math and see how much would they gain. Their lands weren’t invaded and the Nazis were trying to make a peace with them, yet they refused and fought as hard as men and women can fight to free your country for you, so that your troops could march victoriously in Paris! And you dare say that the US doesn’t repay favors!??

If you don’t like the world after Saddam, and if you miss him that much, you can keep living in your own world and we won’t bother you...at all.

-By Ali.





[Edited on Nov 23, 2004 by Albion]

smithers_jones

smithers_jones

I'm lost
November 2003

NOV 23, 2004 04:07 PM

Koenigsegg said:

Albion said:
and whiney liberals who seem to have an obsessive-compulsive disorder about finding anything bad they possibly can about iraq to try and prove that getting rid of saddam was somehow a bad thing....



seriously



I know you right-wing folks desperately hate criticism of your neo-con overlords, but criticism of state policy, (including, but not limited to ill-conceived, poorly-planned, and illegal invasions of foreign countries) are common in democratic societies. Some policies are just easier to criticize than others. Stop crying about it.

UpTight

UpTight

I'm lost
December 2003

NOV 23, 2004 04:07 PM

lostarchitect said:

Albion said:
say what you like about pol pot, but at least the buses ran on time....




...because if they didn't, their driver would be shot?

yeah. awesome.

whatever



my point exactly - nobody with more than half a brain cell should use fatuous arguments to pine for the halcyon days of oppressive dictatorships


[Edited on Nov 23, 2004 by Albion]

UpTight

UpTight

I'm lost
December 2003

NOV 23, 2004 04:10 PM

smithers_jones said:

Koenigsegg said:

Albion said:
and whiney liberals who seem to have an obsessive-compulsive disorder about finding anything bad they possibly can about iraq to try and prove that getting rid of saddam was somehow a bad thing....



seriously



I know you right-wing folks desperately hate criticism of your neo-con overlords, but criticism of state policy, (including, but not limited to ill-conceived, poorly-planned, and illegal invasions of foreign countries) are common in democratic societies. Some policies are just easier to criticize than others. Stop crying about it.



Isn't it boring now?

All those Stop the War marches failed to stop the war. Saddam is no longer in power and whinging about it won't bring him back. If you want to do something for the people of Iraq organise some "Stop the terrorism" marches (perish the thought of the anti-war movement actually protesting against the bad guys).

Stiles

Stiles

Oakland, CA
November 2002

NOV 23, 2004 04:21 PM

Albion said:
Isn't it boring now?

All those Stop the War marches failed to stop the war. Saddam is no longer in power and whinging about it won't bring him back. If you want to do something for the people of Iraq organise some "Stop the terrorism" marches (perish the thought of the anti-war movement actually protesting against the bad guys).



Actually, I think most people would like to see us do a better job of fixing a country we helped break. It is also fair game to criticise the timing and gross mis-management of this war, especially since it looks like our current leadership learned nothing from its' many mistakes before, during, and after the war.

Sorry if this gets your panties in a twist.

smithers_jones

smithers_jones

I'm lost
November 2003

NOV 23, 2004 04:30 PM

Albion said:

smithers_jones said:

Koenigsegg said:

Albion said:
and whiney liberals who seem to have an obsessive-compulsive disorder about finding anything bad they possibly can about iraq to try and prove that getting rid of saddam was somehow a bad thing....



seriously



I know you right-wing folks desperately hate criticism of your neo-con overlords, but criticism of state policy, (including, but not limited to ill-conceived, poorly-planned, and illegal invasions of foreign countries) are common in democratic societies. Some policies are just easier to criticize than others. Stop crying about it.



Isn't it boring now?

All those Stop the War marches failed to stop the war. Saddam is no longer in power and whinging about it won't bring him back. If you want to do something for the people of Iraq organise some "Stop the terrorism" marches (perish the thought of the anti-war movement actually protesting against the bad guys).



Aren't you tired of regurgitating the same straw men and equating people who disagree with the war as supporters of Saddam and "terrorism"?

Let me know when you get some new material.

Doghouse_Reilly

doghouse_reilly

I'm lost
February 2004

NOV 23, 2004 04:30 PM

"Stop the Terrorism" marches? Brilliant!

After that, we should organize a "Say No to Hurricanes" march, and maybe a "Mother's Against Evildoing" protest.

Also, there should be an Anti-Bad Guy League.

Criticism of actual policy is getting us nowhere, apparently, it's time to take the fight completely abstract.

Hank_Scorpio

Hank_Scorpio

Los Angeles, CA
October 2004

NOV 23, 2004 04:34 PM

Albion said:

smithers_jones said:

Koenigsegg said:

Albion said:
and whiney liberals who seem to have an obsessive-compulsive disorder about finding anything bad they possibly can about iraq to try and prove that getting rid of saddam was somehow a bad thing....



seriously



I know you right-wing folks desperately hate criticism of your neo-con overlords, but criticism of state policy, (including, but not limited to ill-conceived, poorly-planned, and illegal invasions of foreign countries) are common in democratic societies. Some policies are just easier to criticize than others. Stop crying about it.



Isn't it boring now?

All those Stop the War marches failed to stop the war. Saddam is no longer in power and whinging about it won't bring him back. If you want to do something for the people of Iraq organise some "Stop the terrorism" marches (perish the thought of the anti-war movement actually protesting against the bad guys).


Do you and Stockula have some sort of contest going on between the two of you with regard to idiotic replies?

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