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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Dear Kieran & List, Not so sure you are completely correct, thinking this List is, primarily, about sanctions on Iraq. Certainly, the effects of sanctions will have a devastating bearing for generations. The name, CASI, remains, despite discussions for a possible new name taking place, even whether this site continues to serve a purpose. The issues, re. Iraq, have changed. A dictatorial regime has been replaced by occupational forces, mainly from US/UK. Infra-structure, so-called, has been bombed, stolen or sabotaged. Law & order are, virtually, non-existant, comparible to the Wild West, in it's heyday, maybe worse. The whole of Iraq is frought with danger & instability, even 'soft-target' NGOs are affected. As well as crime, on a massive scale, you have frequent small-scale military resistance against the occupiers, the latter, at times, acting brutally, arbitrarily & with impunity. You accuse the celebrated journalist, Robert Fisk, of having double standards. This may surprise you, but we all have double, triple & quadruple standards, including yourself. Something we can only remedy by recognising it. You suggest we should do more about Lebanon, Pakistan, Libya & Turkey, rather than concentrate on Iraq. Maybe we should. But another reality is that we cannot do everything, & that unless we give our attentions to certain selected areas, we may end up being overwhelmed, & achieving very little. However, if - following your strong feelings - you wish to set up a website, e.g. on Turkey, good luck to you. One, to my mind, very good reason for concern about Iraq, is that "my" government, i.e. the British, has been inflicting war & occupation on that country, ongoing as I write this e-mail. "Not in my name!" Yet, whatever cause(es) one takes on, we should remember that an occupation is never purely military in nature. Many diverse factors are at play, financial, cultural, historical etc. To deny that would be a jaundiced, rather than a holistic, approach. To focus on one area, in campaigning, needn't imply insensitivity to other, minor or major, problems. At best, whenever we do get involved, it is with the same humanitarian intent, perhaps as a light shining in the darkness? Whether in Libya, Bangladesh, Palestine or Iraq. Greetings, Bert Gedin. _________________________________________________________________ Express yourself with cool emoticons - download MSN Messenger today! http://www.msn.co.uk/messenger _______________________________________________ Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. To unsubscribe, visit http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-discuss To contact the list manager, email casi-discuss-admin@lists.casi.org.uk All postings are archived on CASI's website: http://www.casi.org.uk