Sunday, September 02, 2012

Hejira

The big Iraq news today is the press picking up on Archbishop Desmond Tutu's Observer column.  Tom Foot (Independent) explains, "Archbishop Desmond Tutu today brands Tony Blair and George Bush war criminals and calls for both former leaders to be hauled before an international court."  Adam Sich (ITN) adds, "As for the call for Mr Blair and Mr Bush to face justice in The Hague, he said different standards appeared to be set for prosecuting African leaders than western ones, and that the death toll during and after the Iraq conflict was sufficient on its own for them to face action."  BBC quotes War Criminal Tony Blair insisting, ""I would also point out that despite the problems, Iraq today has an economy three times or more in size, with child mortality rate cut by a third of what it was. And with investment hugely increased in places like Basra."

Reality, the illegal war ensured that Iraq became a land of widows and orphans with over one million people killed.  Reality, the services have still not been restored (electricity, potable water, etc.).  Birth defects have dramatically increased -- especially in Falluja but not just Falluja -- as has the rate of cancer.  These are the results of the illegal weapons that were used by foreign powers in Iraq.

In January, Dahr Jamail reported for Al Jazeera:


Dr Samira Alani, a paediatric specialist at Fallujah General Hospital, has taken a personal interest in investigating an explosion of congenital abnormalities that have mushroomed in the wake of the US sieges since 2005.
 US invasion leaves lasting Iraq scars
"We have all kinds of defects now, ranging from congenital heart disease to severe physical abnormalities, both in numbers you cannot imagine," Alani told Al Jazeera at her office in the hospital, while showing countless photos of shocking birth defects.
As of December 21, Alani, who has worked at the hospital since 1997, told Al Jazeera she had personally logged 677 cases of birth defects since October 2009. Just eight days later when Al Jazeera visited the city on December 29, that number had already risen to 699.
"There are not even medical terms to describe some of these conditions because we've never seen them until now," she said. "So when I describe it all I can do is describe the physical defects, but I'm unable to provide a medical term."

 Press TV added, "A July 2010 study showed that increases in infant mortality, cancer and leukemia in the heavily bombarded city of Fallujah surpass those reported by survivors of the atomic bombs that were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945."

Tony Blair never wants to talk about those realities, does he?


The coverage is not just from the British press.  CNN covers the story and notes, "Tutu detailed some of the costs of the war. More than 110,000 Iraqis have died in the conflict, while millions have been displaced, he said. Close to 4,500 U.S. soldiers have been killed and more than 32,000 wounded, Tutu added." The Irish Times covers the story as well, "As for the call for Mr Blair and Mr Bush to face justice in The Hague, he said different standards appeared to be set for prosecuting African leaders than for western ones, and that the death toll during and after the Iraq conflict was sufficient on its own for them to face action. 'On these grounds, alone, in a consistent world, those responsible should be treading the same path as some of their African and Asian peers who have been made to
answer for their actions in The Hague'."  The Oman Observer carries an AFP report.  Thanks to Archbishop Tutu, two War Criminals are getting some of the long overdue condemnation they've had coming.


Tony Blair and Bully Boy Bush were two world leaders who lied to start the Iraq War.  Two.  There were three.  And usually you can hear former Austrlian prime minister John Howard whining that he's not getting credit for his part in the Iraq War.  But you don't hear him whining that right now.  Instead, he's silent and hoping no one thinks to include him in on this.  Rachael Brown (Australia's ABC) covers Tutu's remarks here.


Violence continues in Iraq.  Alsumaria notes 2 Kirkuk roadside bombings claimed the lives of 2 police officers, 1 child was kidnapped in Salahuddin Province, the corpse of 1 shepherd was discovered in Kut and, in addition, a construction worker set himself on fire to protest losing his job and no jobs being available. 





I'm traveling in some vehicle
I'm sitting in some cafe
A defector from the petty wars
That shell shock love away
-- "Hejira," written by Joni Mitchell, first appears on her album of the same name

 The number of US service members the Dept of Defense states died in the Iraq War is [PDF format warning] 4488.



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