The following is an archived copy of a message sent to a Discussion List run by the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq.
Views expressed in this archived message are those of the author, not of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq.
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Hi I am very worried about the ongoing bias from John Sweeney who fronts your programmes on Iraq. Your choice of topic and the treatment thereof must be welcomed by the British Foreign Office and Tony Blair! You are in danger of becoming a propaganda machine for the dark forces within the US/UK establishment who have killed and are killing many more Iraqis (especially children) than SH has over his whole reign. The following 2 programmes will obviously help weaken the antiwar feeling amongst the British people: After Saddam Saddam's mass graves You are excessively anti-SH and pro-UK. The titles themselves give away your leanings - the choice of 'Saddam' rather than 'Saddam Hussein'. There seems to be no attempt at balance. Objectivity seems to be lacking. Are the stories being carefully checked? Do you remember the incubator story at the time of the Gulf War? The BBC reported it as true at the time. I've yet to see the BBC report the truth of the matter! Even Amnesty International has had to complain about the UK Government's interest in stories about Iraqi Government atrocities when they turned a blind eye at the time (and worse still, denied their existence). We are systematically being lied to by our leaders on Iraq. Your programmes do nothing to counter this. All you seem to focus on is the anti-SH stuff. This is easily found everywhere in the UK media. How about these possible stories for your team to consider? I can supply some reference material if you wish. 1) The effects of DU on civilians in southern Iraq and how the US/UK have prevented WHO or anyone else investigating. 2) Media bias when reporting on Iraq eg the incubator story, no mention of sanctions etc 3) Iraq was a prosperous country with excellent social provision. Now we have had a genocide in Iraq. The sanctions and how the US/UK have killed over 1 million Iraqi civilians, mainly children, and ruined the lives of millions more. Two successive UN Coordinators resigned over this genocide - Denis Halliday and Von Sponeck. I'm sure they'll talk to you. 4) Targetting of water treatment facilities - how the US deliberately targetted these in full knowledge of the deadly effects on civilians. How they used sanctions to ensure these effects. 5) The role of the US/UK within the secret workings of the 661 Committee. 6) The lack of ANY diplomacy from the UK Goverment to help solve the Iraq problem. eg listen to legitimate Iraqi concerns. How about a non- agression pact? Security guarantees? 7) The original UN resolution calling for the disarmament of Iraq also called for disarmament in the region. What steps have the UK government taken to apply this to Israel? Has the UK government called for Israel to sign the non-proliferation treaty? What about Iran? 8) Why is the approach to Iraq so aggressive when Israel is STILL occupying East Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip as well as expanding illegal settlements? Why is the UK Government (and therefore of course Correspondent) silent about Israeli non- compliance with UN resolutions, Israeli destruction of civilian homes, expansion of settlements etc? Does the UK think that it is fair and just that the proposed 'peace process' involves the Palestinians under occupation and siege with miserable living conditions negotiating with a heavily armed oppressor? 9) The so called 'no-fly zones: NO authority from the UNSC. The US/UK will not tell us their estimates of casualties. The US objected strongly when the UN began documenting the number of civilian casualties. 10) UK dossiers - why do people not believe them? 11) During Desert Fox, Tony Blair said that they were targetting soldiers asleep in their barracks. What are the estimates of the Iraqi casualties from that bombing? 12) Why has Parliament been refused a vote on authorising the threat of force against Iraq? What role do our MP's have in any of this? Why are so many British people frustrated enough to go on a march in London but feel that to write to their MP is a waste of time. 13) Casualties: we keep on hearing about what the Iraqi regime may have done but what about what our leaders are responsible for? If our heavily armed Government wishes to go to war then surely they must be held accountable for what they do. This is only possible with information. How many military and civilian casualties from: The Gulf War, sanctions, so called 'no fly zone' bombing, Desert Fox and the new war? 14) UK Government lies & half truths on Iraq - lots of material here! 15) Tony Blair's recent change of tack stressing the need to depose SH for the sake of the Iraqi people. This should be exposed for what it is - a cynical attempt to manipulate public opinion. He can however be 'got' on this issue: Firstly 'because of the way Saddam has implemented sanctions' does not stand up to even the most cursory examination and secondly because he is admitting something of the tremendous human damage being caused by the sanctions. 16) The UN - under threat from the US/UK. They ignore it when they wish eg so called 'no fly zones', Desert Fox, Israel etc. They threaten it if it doesn't do what they want. Blair talks about ignoring the UN if there is an 'unreasonable' veto but the US/UK are quite happy to use the veto themselves. There are plenty of avenues for you to explore here. I won't hold my breath! Mark Parkinson 20 Homefield Park Bodmin Cornwall PL31 1DJ _______________________________________________ Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. 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