Monkeyfist supports Iraqi Humanitarian Aid

The Monkeyfist Collective is hooking up with the International Relief Assocation to collect money for food and medicine for the Iraqi people. These folks provide end to end service -- from procurement in the US to distribution in Iraq.

(Note: Their website is a little outdated, but we have talked with them -- yes, they're still going strong -- and are discussing providing them with webmastering services.)

It is absolutely clear that the Iraqi people are being decimated by the war we brought to them and our laying siege to them for nigh ten years (our besiegement goes by the quaint phrase of "economic sanctions" -- though it may be the first time that "economic sanctions" are held to include regular bombing runs on enemy territory).

"Decimated" may be too light a term. It's unclear what will be left of Iraq as a nation and as (even a fractured) people when we're done. If we ever are done.

And we may never be, given the desperate gyrations of high US officials in the face of the world wide collapse of support for the siege.

Here's a cute example made in response to reports that France and Russia might break, or permit breaking of, the besiegement:

I think it's very hard these days to kind of figure out what "humanitarian" means...I have just learned -- authoritatively -- that they import 12,000 cases per month of scotch whiskey. Now, at 12 bottles to a case, I'm not sure whether that's food or medicine. -- Secratary of State, Madeleine Albright, at a press conference

Indeed, it must be difficult to figure out what "humanitarian" means if one seriously thinks that the Iraqis are importing 144,000 bottles of scotch a month -- a mere 1.7 million bottles a year!

First, all profits from oil sales go into an escrow account managed by the UN. Iraqi officials submit requests and UN officials must approve them. So, either the booze is being bough with "private" funds, or the UN approves the purchase, or the borders are porous enough to permit a fair bit of smuggling that, nonetheless, authorative sources know all about.

Second, the question isn't "Is there anything Saddam could do to alleviate some or all of the suffering of his people?" but "Is there anything that we could stop doing that would alleviate some or all of the suffereing of his people?" The answer to the latter question is, clearly, "yes." The answer to the former question is "less than one might think."

It's not just a matter of how Saddam spends his money, but what he's allowed to buy. The Iraqi infrastructure was (and is being) seriously damaged by our military actions. Without the material to rebuild that, it's nigh impossible to meet the basic subsistence needs of the Iraqi people.

Before the Great Iraqi Slaughter (otherwise known as the Gulf War), Iraq was one of the most developed countries in the region, with high levels of literacy, medical care, and so on. This was the case even given an eight year debilitating war with Iran (with US approval and support). So, if he had the resources, why wouldn't Saddam rebuild?

At the same press conference, Albright went on to say:

[A]fter almost 10 years of dealing with this issue, I genuinely have trouble believing one word out of the mouth of any Iraqi (official)...

So, too, do I have trouble believing one word out of the mouth of Secratary Albright.