U.S. Relief Group Calls for Iraq Withdrawal
Oneworld.net
excerpt>>"We are convinced that the presence of U.S. troops is a destabilizing force in the region and contributes to the increasing loss of life," the board stated. "We are anguished by the damage and lasting scars we are causing to another generation of American soldiers who have been asked to serve in another war in a distant place for questionable ends."
In addition to U.S. casualties, the board noted the recent study by U.S. and British researchers published last month by the British medical journal, 'The Lancet', that estimated that as many as 100,000 Iraqi civilians have been killed since the U.S. invasion.
"We believe it is now clear that the continuing U.S. military presence in Iraq is counterproductive and wrong. The occupation has lost the trust of the Iraqi people. We abhor the violence--each day Iraq becomes less safe for the occupied, the occupiers, and those who seek to relieve the suffering," the board stated.
The Board said that the violence has continued to escalate over the past year even as U.S. forces resumed offensive actions this fall that culminated in their November campaign against insurgents in Fallujah. About one third of the city's homes and buildings were reported to have been destroyed in the campaign. At least three U.S. Marines were reported killed Thursday in continued fighting there, even as a few hundred of the more than 250,000 residents who fled the city before the offensive began trickling back through U.S. checkpoints this week.
Under international law, according to the Board, the U.S. remains responsible for the success or failure of the ongoing occupation. This in turn will be measured by how well it establishes and maintains security for Iraqis; restores basic services, including utilities, health care and education; and revives the local economy to meet day-to-day, as well as recovery needs of Iraqis. The U.S. is obligated to effect rapid transition to a sovereign representative government; assure the active presence of the international community in Iraq's rehabilitation; and demonstrate responsibility in the allocation of Iraqi funds.
Washington's accounting for the expenditure of both its funds during the occupation and those held in a special Iraqi oil account since the invasion was strongly criticized in a high level UN report earlier this month, while a new study by a Norwegian institute found that the percentage of Iraqi infants and young children suffering from malnutrition has nearly doubled--to 7.7 percent--since March, 2003.
"On all these points the U.S. has failed," according to the AFSC board, noting that the result was the loss of support for U.S. troop presence in Iraq from both the Iraqi people, and "by most accounts, the U.S. public." "All of these events confirm our long held belief that violence can only beget further violence." <<end of excerpt
Significant because this organization had earlier said the US shouldn't withdraw because of the chaos it would spawn. Some of us asked, what could be more chaotic than tasking CentCom with 'reconstructing' Iraq? They are still sticking with some sort of UN plan for an ordered withdrawal, which isn't going to be possible. But then getting the US to withdraw from a country it had planned to occupy permanently isn't going to be easy either. Don't expect much help from UK, Germany or Japan (all permanently occupied countries). Which brings us to the next undiscussed topics: Rumsfeld's plans to forward US special forces (which get a huge chunk of regular and extraordinary military budgets now) in low-rent districts, such as Central Asia, Afghanistan and Iraq. Such forces lack the heavy equipment and ponderous supply organizations that mechanized infantry, armour or artillery require. But if you can get the client state to provide the physical support, they allow for a cheaper projection of US military might (since the air forces will still be there backing them up), or so Uncle Donny thinks.
Fugazy
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