The following is an archived copy of a message sent to a Discussion List run by the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq.
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While the U.S. prepares for war against Iraq, former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark arrived in Iraq with a five-person fact-finding peace delegation, last Monday. The delegation is meeting with high government officials, family members of people who were killed in the U.S. bombing of Basra August 25, and visiting hospitals and food distribution centers. The group is touring Basra at the site of Sunday's bombing raid that killed eight civilians. The purpose of this trip is to report on the latest effects of U.S.-led UN sanctions against the Iraqi civilian population, and to show solidarity with the people of Iraq who are facing the prospect of an imminent US war of aggression. Ramsey Clark is the founder and chairperson of the U.S.-based International Action Center, which has campaigned against the devastating economic sanctions on Iraq for the last decade. "It is clear from our discussions with both officials and average Iraqis that the people of this country hope that people of conscience in the U.S. and around the world will join together in building a massive movement to stop the war being planned by George Bush, Donald Rumsfeld and the other warmongers in the White House and Pentagon," stated Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, delegate from the Partnership for Civil Justice. "Iraq is still reeling from the impact of economic sanctions," Verheyden-Hilliard continued. "In our meetings with officials from the health ministry today we have learned that mortality rates for children and the elderly have actually increased in the last twelve months. More than 8,000 people die needlessly this month from hunger and water-borne diseases and the degrading of Iraq's health care system. According to the United Nations statistics more than a million Iraqis have perished from sanctions. The so-called debate in the U.S. establishment is over whether Iraq should be invaded today or tomorrow or next year. That misses the point. The US has conducted an illegal non-stop war against Iraq for more than ten years and it must end now. We are organizing against war and sanctions." "Twelve years ago when the U.S. organized the aerial slaughter it was able to build an international coalition against Iraq. Most governments in the coalition joined as a result of US bullying and coercion. Today the US government is isolated. All the people of the world and all twenty two of the Arab League governments oppose this plan for unprovoked aggression that violates all international law," stated Ramsey Clark. "We have come to Iraq to help galvanize the active mobilization of world opinion which stands in opposition to this planned war. This war can be stopped but only if the people of the world take action now." _________________________________________________________________ MSN Photos is the easiest way to share and print your photos: http://photos.msn.com/support/worldwide.aspx _______________________________________________ Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. To unsubscribe, visit http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-discuss To contact the list manager, email casi-discuss-admin@lists.casi.org.uk All postings are archived on CASI's website: http://www.casi.org.uk