We Can Stop Iraq’s Humanitarian Crisis

Iraq is Having a Humanitarian Crisis! - What We Must Do

The situation in Iraq is a full blown humanitarian crisis. Water and food supplies are either foul or insufficient. Lack of sanitation has produced an environment that supports disease. The people suffer from cold, heat, lack of light, clean water and food.
Their medical system is in desperate need of medical supplies and clean, safe facilities. Since the US invasion, 3 1/2 years ago, they have lived the trauma of a 9/11 situation 24/7. Who of us could stand the conditions they are experiencing?
Iraq’s people never hurt us, why should we allow them to continue to suffer from the actions of our government’s occupation of their land? A decade of sanctions caused terrible suffering among the Iraqis with the death of 500.000 children that directly resulted from the sanctions. Since the US invasion and occupation the whole country has become a torture chamber of inhumane conditions, polluted with the sounds of warfare and the smell of death and smoke. The US use of depleted uranium, a radioactive material, has poisoned their earth, air, water, food and bodies resulting in sickness and deformed babies. Children are killed or suffer terrible wounds, often condemned to suffering and death because of the lack of medical supplies or help. Who of us could stand to see our children subjected to such a terrible fate? Leaving one’s home to buy food, fuel, go to school or seek relief from the heat is fraught with danger of possible death or injury. Every day one can see a loved one hurt, killed or taken away or have one’s home destroyed.
Any family in Iraq can have their home broken into in the night by US forces. Imagine your family being screamed at and pulled from their beds by big men in uniforms carrying weapons. Imagine your children being traumatized, women flung aside and men and boys forced to the floor, bound and taken away. Imagine your home being ransacked and your family wealth and jewelry taken. All of this done by the light of flashlight beams flashing through the dark. A trip in a car or bus could result in being mis-identified and being shot by nervous soldiers or being near an exploding car bomb.
The US occupation contributes to and aggravates the conflict in Iraq. The insurgents will never stop fighting until the foreigners leave. As far as other foreign fighters there, the Iraqis know who they are and will decide their fate. It is their territory, their home and we have no business being there. The US presence will prevent the Iraqi society from evolving into a nation that truly reflects their interests and desires as would any foreign presence using force.
If we have any humanity in us at all, we will pull back our troops to the bases away from population centers in preparation for departure. All foreign contracts should be terminated and those contractors and employees should leave as well. At the same time we should ask Non government organizations, perhaps led by the Red Crescent, to organize to be ready to go in with emergency help with permission and co-operation of the Iraqis. It is possible that the various factions in Iraq would agree to a cease-fire in order to allow emergency supplies and help to reach all of their people so healing can begin. An NGO committee could also provide building supplies and tools to the Iraqis so they can repair their infrastructure. Eventually, the NGO group could expand to include experts in conflict resolution, economy and other social systems to chair negations for a new government that includes all the people.
It is up to us to stop the terrible conditions of daily life the Iraqis are suffering under and do our best to put into place sources for real help to them. We are spending $300 million dollars a day ($12,5 million an hour!) to wage war there - money far better spent to support peace, healing and renewal of a country we have hurt so much. The US should deposit money to fund the NGO work and the work Iraqis do in their reconstruction. The US government should not interfere in the work of the NGOs having lost integrity in the minds of Iraqis. Taking the logical steps to create conditions that Iraq could cease conflicts and begin to heal, would not be an act of "weakness" or one of "losing the war". It would be an act of compassion and integrity and reflect the true nature of the American people to want security and fiarness for all people. Humanitarian needs must trump military, political or control strategies. This is not something we can take our time on. They suffer desperate circumstances every day and a dawn of peace can’t come too soon for this traumatized nation.

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