Saturday, November 13, 2004
Freedom is on the march
According to Az-zaman, a study commissioned by the Iraqi Planning ministry finds that 43% of the Iraqi population is currently living below the poverty line, with no improvement in living standards during the 17 months since the US invasion. More disturbingly, the study also finds that:
Remember, this is not a study from some left-wing international aid organization, this is from the Planning Ministry of the US-allied Allawi government.
While the risk of starvation can be avoided, there are growing concerns over the spread of disease, death and psychological trauma particularly among the children, they say.
The authors say Iraqi children are now much more vulnerable to violence and the adverse impact of military operation in major cities than before.
Neither the occupation forces nor the interim government have unveiled any plans on how to protect the country’s nearly 13 million children.
Remember, this is not a study from some left-wing international aid organization, this is from the Planning Ministry of the US-allied Allawi government.
