Comment: Iraq and the price of freedom

On Feb 26 2003, President George Bush, addressed the American Enterprise Institute at the Washington Hilton.

To the sound of rapturous applause, he told the audience, (that included members of Congress and Lynne Cheney) "The first to benefit from a free Iraq would be the Iraqi people, themselves. Today they live in scarcity and fear, under a dictator who has brought them nothing but war, and misery, and torture."

According to a 370 page U.N. report released today, this is how the Iraqi people have benefited.

• 85% of Iraqi households lack stable electricity.
• Only 54% had access to clean water (In the 1980s, 75% of households had clean water)
• Just 37% access to sewage
• 23 percent of Iraqi children suffer from chronic malnutrition. The amount has doubled since the US were kind enough to liberate the Iraqis in a war they did not seek nor want.

The star spangled audience at the Washington Hilton that night, were able to feed their self righteous piety as the red, white and blue, Saviour Of The World told them, "We will deliver medicine to the sick, and we are now moving into place nearly 3 million emergency rations to feed the hungry"

The British medical charity, Medact, reported last year that the US-led war on Iraq has caused a public health disaster that has left the country's medical system in tatters and increased the risk of disease and death.

We will now cross over to the "Liberated Iraqi Glee Club Choir" singing, "God Bless America". What you mean you can't find them?