Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, March 1998, Page 20

Special Report

Some Personal Observations Behind the Grim Headlines From an American Frequent Visitor to Iraq

By Rick McDowell

The grim statistics are well known, but nevertheless bear repeating. According to a UNICEF report issued last October, one-third of Iraqi children under five years of age (an estimated 960,000 children) are chronically malnourished, "with evidence of continuing major recent acute deterioration."

Comparison with statistics gathered by an international team in 1991 shows horrifying changes: stunting increased from 18 percent to 31 percent; underweight children increased from 9 percent to 26 percent; and "wasting" increased from 3 percent to 11 percent. Iraq has moved from being a country that in 1991 had a low prevalence of all three indicators (stunting, underweight, wasting) to high prevalence rates in 1996, matching the most serious problems encountered in very needy countries of the world.

But my four visits to Iraq over the past 15 months, including four weeks in December 1997 and January 1998, provided many additional insights into the manner in which the country is, literally, in a state of collapse. And now Iraqis resignedly await renewed blows from the United States, against which they have no defenses, for purposes which they simply cannot fathom. All they understand is that they have no way to express their feelings about their government, and certainly cannot bring it down. Following are some additional facts beyond the headlines.

U.N. Officials Stated in Meetings:

• There is a continuing deterioration in the water and sanitation treatment and delivery systems.
  
  
• Health and education systems (infrastructure) are on the verge of collapse—buildings are in a state of disrepair, equipment cannot be replaced and, after seven years of sanctions, much of the medical equipment needed to support medical procedures is unavailable.
  
  
• There have been genetic mutations in the sheep population living in the 1991 battle zone—once-fertile land can no longer sustain life in the zone of battle.
  
  
• As of December 1997, Iraq had only three helicopters (90 hours of flying time) for the agricultural sector of the entire country (including for the spraying of pesticides).
  
  
• A new breed of weeds is consuming 30 to 40 percent of the crops...land is "exhausted."
  
  
• Iraq is experiencing an explosion in the rates of cancer, spontaneous abortions and birth defects.

Gas Rationing:

Iraq has closed down most of its oil refineries in anticipation of renewed U.S. bombing. Gasoline and kerosene is in short supply. The government has instituted a gasoline rationing system (coupons) which results in long lines. The price of gasoline has risen dramatically in recent months.

Power Outages:

Baghdad and cities throughout Iraq are experiencing ever-increasing power outages and for ever-increasing periods of time. U.N. officials told us that Iraq's electrical grid is on the verge of collapse, and could fail as early as summer 1998—because of deterioration of equipment and a lack of spare parts. In addition, the equipment is so antiquated that factory-made spare parts are often unavailable, resulting in long delays as the parts are hand-crafted.

Agriculture—FAO November 1997 Report

"After seven years of sanctions the stocks of essential agricultural inputs are at critically low levels. Within the cropping and vegetable-growing sectors the lack of machinery, spare parts, fertilizer, quality seeds and agrochemicals are resulting in inefficient land preparation, low nutrient levels, increased pest infestation, poor quality produce and low production levels. The livestock sector has experienced an estimated 40 percent reduction in population numbers largely due to the lack of sufficient stocks of vaccines and veterinary pharmaceuticals."

Animal Population—FAO/WFP Report-October 1997

"The animal population has declined steeply due to severe shortages of feed and vaccines during the embargo. Production of milk and milk products has seriously declined due to poor animal health and lack of equipment, while supplies of meat have been drastically reduced. The [FAO] Mission estimates the total animal population (cows, buffaloes, sheep and goats) in 1997 at 9.4 million, some 60 percent of the number in 1986-90...The poultry industry has also virtually collapsed due to lack of vaccines and feed. The Mission found that only 23 small to medium poultry farms are in operation at present, compared to some 600 before 1991. The availability of poultry meat and eggs, therefore, is now negligible compared to levels before the embargo.

"Fish production has also decreased drastically. The only central facility for rearing and supplying fish fingerlings to fish farmers and to rivers, ponds, lakes and water reservoirs to renew and maintain fish stocks in the country is seriously constrained due to deteriorating machinery and equipment and shortages of chemical, feed and hormone supplies."

Screwworm:

According to U.N. officials in Baghdad, an outbreak of "screwworm" (old world) is rapidly reaching epidemic proportion. Screwworm is a fly that breeds in the living tissue of mammals, having penetrated mainly through open wounds, and whose larvae cause serious injury or death to livestock. As of Dec. 30, 1997, 54,704 cases of screwworm in animals (unheard of in Iraq as late as September 1996) and 19 cases in humans have been reported. Without treatment, animals die within 6 days of infestation. Iraq lacks the resources needed to fight the outbreak of screwworm, including vaccines, cold storage (due to power outages, officials can no longer properly store vaccines) and delivery vehicles.

The Moral Issue:

The coordinator of U.N. humanitarian services for Iraq stated that the "moral integrity of the U.N. is at serious risk if the sanctions continue." He stated that the international community must find an alternative to sanctions and that weapons monitoring should not be tied to sanctions.