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Sanctions Continue to Kill Iraqis, E.U. Warns U.S. Against Extending Campaign
LAEKEN, Belgium, Dec 15 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - The European Union warned the United States on Saturday against extending its self-declared war on terrorism beyond Afghanistan without first seeking approval from the international community, news agencies reported.
Meanwhile, in Iraq, prominently mentioned as next on a list of nations to be targeted by the "war on terrorism," government authorities in Baghdad claimed that continuing United Nations economic sanctions in Iraq resulted in the deaths of 31,000 people in the past three months.
"The approval of the international community must be sought prior to any geographical extension of those operations," the 15-member body said, a day after promising participation in a U.N.-mandated military force in Afghanistan.
The warning came in draft conclusions obtained at a two-day E.U. summit here expected to be approved by E.U. leaders later in the day.
U.S. President George W. Bush has repeatedly said the current campaign against Afghanistan's Taliban regime, Osama bin Laden and his al-Qaeda network is just the beginning of a U.S.-led "war against terrorism."
Pentagon sources have suggested further action against targets such as Iraq, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.
Last week, U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan also warned Washington against an extension of the campaign, saying that the use of offensive military force should be confined to Afghanistan and not involve Somalia. He has insisted too that an attack on Iraq "could lead to a major escalation in the region."
Arab and Muslim countries have warned that they would not support any U.S. initiative to expand their war and that any actions should only be confined to the perpetrators of the deadly September 11 attacks on the U.S.
Arab and Muslim countries are concerned that an expansion of the war would target countries the U.S. considers enemies and would not target ally countries that participate in state-sponsored terrorism, specifically citing Israel's aggressions toward the Palestinians.
But British Prime Minister Tony Blair told journalists here that "on the second phase... no decisions have been taken" adding that any extension of the campaign would be decided by the allies in the anti-terrorist coalition. He added that countries which might be targeted in such a campaign were a matter for discussion.
Blair was also upbeat about progress in both the war and the propaganda battle against bin Laden.
"We are winning the argument on all fronts," the British leader said, adding that a recently released video apparently showing bin Laden's "obscene joy" in the destruction wrought in the September 11 attacks sealed any doubts over his guilt.
"There is a far greater understanding of his [bin Laden's] guilt in the Arab and Muslim world now than there was," Blair said. "A few months ago when we began this there were people who doubted... following the latest video... I don't believe anyone anymore doubts that he was guilty."
In a further move relating to the Afghan campaign, the E.U. was also expected to re-affirm strengthened support for a post-war Afghanistan and its decimated population.
On Friday, the 15 union leaders threw their support behind a multinational security force that could deploy in Afghanistan soon after expected passage of a U.N. resolution.
The E.U.'s contingent to the international force would be 3,000-4,000 strong, probably headed by Britain.
"Participation of the member states of the Union in that force will provide a strong signal of their resolve to better assume their crisis management responsibilities and hence help stabilize Afghanistan," the draft E.U. document said. "The urgent needs of the Afghan people mean that humanitarian aid continues to be a priority." The statement noted that the E.U. had already committed to providing 353 million euros ($328 million) in aid.
"More than 20 years of war and political instability have destroyed the structures of Afghan society, completely disrupted the functioning of the public institutions and authorities and caused immense human suffering," it said.
The E.U. "will help the Afghan people and its new leaders to rebuild the country and encourage as swift a return to democracy as possible," said the draft conclusions," noting that "the situation of women will merit particular attention."
Meanwhile, the Iraqi health ministry announced Saturday that more than 31,000 Iraqis, including some 21,000 children under the age of five, died during the past three months from diseases and malnutrition caused by U.N. sanctions.
In a statement carried by the official INA news agency, the ministry said, "31,079 people, including more than 21,000 children aged under five, died from September through November from various diseases caused by malnutrition and shortages of medicines."
Official statistics put at 1.6 million the number of Iraqis who have died as a result of the 11-year-old U.S.-led sanctions.
The "oil-for-food" program, which was designed to allow Iraq to sell oil under United Nations supervision in order to buy essential goods, has been deemed a failure by top U.N. officials who say the program has failed to alleviate the suffering of the Iraqi people.
UNICEF Baghdad has said more than a half-million Iraqi children have died as a direct result of the sanctions.
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