Independent Report on Iraq

Institute for Public Accuracy
915 National Press Building, Washington, D.C. 20045
(202) 347-0020 * http://www.accuracy.org * ipa@accuracy.org
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Monday, June 18, 2007

Independent Report on Iraq

JAMES PAUL, james.paul@globalpolicy.org
CELINE NAHORY, celine.nahory@globalpolicy.org,
http://www.globalpolicy.org/security/issues/iraq/occupation/report/index.htm
Paul is executive director of Global Policy Forum, which has just
released a 117-page report titled "War and Occupation in Iraq." He said
today: "While most people focus on the sectarian bloodshed, our report
highlights the enormous violence of the occupation forces. There is an
increasing air war that results in heavy casualties as well as the
daily
killing of civilians at checkpoints, during house searches, by snipers,
and by ground bombardment. Nearly a million Iraqis have died due to the
effects of the occupation and 4 million have fled from their homes. A
dozen cities have been destroyed by U.S. attacks.
"Our report includes a map of the major prisons and U.S. bases. The
five biggest bases are gigantic and built for decades of use. Their
airfields can launch air strikes around the clock. The new U.S. embassy
complex is the biggest U.S. diplomatic facility in the world.
"Under the control or influence of U.S. authorities, public funds
in
Iraq have been drained by massive corruption and stolen oil, leaving
the
country unable to provide basic services and incapable of rebuilding.
The U.S. government has repeatedly violated many international laws,
but
top officials reject any accountability."
Nahory, Security Council Program Coordinator at Global Policy Forum
and a co-author of the report, said: "Those that understate the
violence
of the occupation make U.S. forces look like the solution, when in fact
they are a large part of the problem. Even polls by the U.S. and U.K.
governments show a large majority of Iraqis want a speedy withdrawal of
occupation forces.
"The UN Security Council should be looking into this crisis, but
under pressure from Washington, the Council has done almost nothing so
far. During the June 13 Council meeting on Iraq, most delegates made
shockingly empty statements with no creative ideas. One exception was
South Africa, whose delegate actually cited our report and used it as
the basis for her remarks. The Security Council can't keep its head in
the sand much longer. It will have to do something about the huge
humanitarian crisis and the worsening violence.
"The Council should end the mandate it has given to the U.S.
Coalition. Only a speedy and complete withdrawal of the occupation can
begin to bring peace and reconciliation to Iraq."

For more information, contact the Institute for Public Accuracy at
(202) 347-0020; or David Zupan at (541) 484-9167.

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