12. The United States waged war on the environment. _______________________________________________ Pollution from the detonation of 88,000 tons of bombs, innumerable missiles, rockets, artillery and small arms with the combustion and fires they caused and by 110,000 air sorties at a rate of nearly two per minute for six weeks has caused enormous injury to life and the ecology. Attacks by U.S. aircraft caused much if not all of the worst oil spills in the Gulf. Aircraft and helicopters dropping napalm and fuel-air explosives on oil wells, storage tanks and refineries caused oil fires throughout Iraq and many, if not most, of the oil well fires in Iraq and Kuwait. The intentional destruction of municipal water systems, waste material treatment and sewage disposal systems constitutes a direct and continuing assault on life and health throughout Iraq. The conduct violated the U.N. Charter, the Hague and Geneva Conventions, the laws of armed conflict and constituted war crimes and crimes against humanity. 13. President Bush encouraged and aided Shiite Muslims and Kurds to rebel against the government of Iraq causing fratricidal violence, emigration, exposure, hunger and sickness and thousands of deaths. After the rebellion failed, the U.S. invaded and occupied parts of Iraq without authority in order to increase division and hostilities within Iraq. ____________________________________________________ Without authority from the Congress or the U.N., President Bush continued his imperious military actions after the cease fire. He encouraged and aided rebellion against Iraq, failed to protect the warring parties, encouraged migration of whole populations placing them in jeopardy from the elements, hunger and disease. After much suffering and many deaths, President Bush then without authority used U.S. military forces to distribute aid at and near the Turkish border, ignoring the often greater suffering among refugees in Iran. He then arbitrarily set up bantu-like settlements for Kurds in Iraq and demanded Iraq pay for U.S. costs. When Kurds chose to return to their homes in Iraq, he moved U.S. troops further into northern Iraq against the will of the government and without authority. The conduct violated the Charter of the United Nations, international law, the constitution and laws of the United States and the laws of Iraq. 14. President Bush intentionally deprived the Iraqi people of essential medicines, potable water, food and other necessities. _________________________________________________ A major component of the assault on Iraq was the systematic deprivation of essential human needs and services. To break the will of the people, destroy their economic capability, reduce their numbers and weaken their health, the United States: -- imposed and enforced embargoes preventing the shipment of needed medicines, water purifiers, infant milk formula, food and other supplies, -- individually, without congressional authority, ordered a U.S. naval blockade of Iraq, an act of war, to deprive the Iraqi people of needed supplies, -- froze funds of Iraq and forced other nations to do so, depriving Iraq of the ability to purchase needed medicines, food and other supplies, -- controlled information about the urgent need for such supplies to prevent sickness, death and threatened epidemic, endangering the whole society, -- prevented international organizations, governments and relief agencies from providing needed supplies and obtaining information concerning needs, -- failed to assist or meet urgent needs of huge refugee populations including Egyptians, Indians, Pakistanis, Yemenis, Sudanese, Jordanians, Palestinians, Sri Lankans, Filipinos, and interfered with efforts of others to do so, -- consistently diverted attention from health and epidemic threats within Iraq even after advertising the plight of Kurdish people on the Turkish border caused by the U.S. -- deliberately bombed the electrical grids causing the closure of hospitals and laboratories, loss of medicine and essential fluids and blood. -- deliberately bombing of food storage, fertilizer, and seed storage facilities As a result of these acts, thousands of people died, many more suffered illnesses and permanent injury. As a single illustration, Iraq consumed infant milk formula at a rate of 2500 tons per month during the first seven months of 1990. From November 1, 1990 to February 7, 1991 Iraq was able to import only 17 tons. Its own production capacity was destroyed. Many Iraqis believed that Pres. Bush intended that their infants die, because he targeted their food supply. The Red Crescent Society of Iraq estimated 3000 infant deaths as of February 7, 1991 resulting from infant milk formula and infant medication shortages. This conduct violates the Hague and Geneva Conventions, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other covenants and constituted a crime against humanity. 15. The United States continued its assault on Iraq after the cease fire, invading and occupying areas at will. ____________________________________________ The United States has acted with dictatorial authority over Iraq and its external relations since the end of the military conflict. It has shot and killed Iraqi military personnel, destroyed air craft and materiel at will, occupied vast areas of Iraq in the north and south and consistently threatened use of force against Iraq. This conduct violates the sovereignty of a nation, exceeds authority in U.N. resolutions, is unauthorized by the Constitution and laws of the United States and constitutes war crimes. [You can help Ramsey Clark in his struggle for justice by calling his International Action Center in New York City at (212) 633-6646.] (to be continued) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * The American Public is evidently in dire need of the truth, for when the plutocracy feeds us sweet lies in place of the bitter truth that would evoke remedial action by the People, then we are in peril of sinking inextricably into despotism. So, please post the episodes of this ongoing series to computer bulletin boards, and post hardcopies in public places, both on and off campus. The need for concerned people, alerting their neighbors to overshadowing dangers, still exists, as it did in the era of Paul Revere. That need is as enduring as society itself. John DiNardo The episodes of this and other series can be retrieved via anonymous ftp from the site: red.css.itd.umich.edu Log in with name "anonymous" or "ftp" and supply your e-mail address as the password. The files are kept in the directory /poli/Essays/Conspiracy Instructions for ftp retrieval are dependent upon what sort of system the user is on. On a UNIX machine, at the command prompt, type the following: ftp red.css.itd.umich.edu This may be different on IBMs and Vax systems. Archivist: Paul Southworth, pauls@css.itd.umich.edu