'Just World News' with Helena Cobban: Bush's war against Iraqi cities

Bush's war against Iraqi cities

Posted by Helena Cobban
November 4, 2004 12:16 AM EST | Link
Filed in Iraq 2003 thru June 2005

We can be pretty sure that a jubilant Prez Bush, his mandate strengthened, will continue the war-to-the-finish against Fallujah. (Read Riverbend's views of this here.)

How will the "decisive" phase of this assault be waged? Or, how is it already being waged?

Daniel O'Huiginn of the Cambridge (UK)-based Campaign Against the Sanctions in Iraq, has been tracking the BBC monitoring reports of the means the US forces used in their assaults on Tel Afar and Samara in recent weeks. These provide many worrying precedents as to what may happen in Fallujah.

Especially regarding the strong possibility that the US forces may cut off the water to the city, in clear contravention of the laws of war.

Here's how Dan sums up his reading of the BBC-monitored media clips:

a) water went off in Tall Afar and Samarra during the recent attacks on
them. [doesn't seem to be much on Fallujah yet, despite the Washington
Post claiming the water was turned off there a couple of weeks ago]

b) this is being discussed by Iraqi politicians, and is giving yet more
ammunion to their complaints about coalition behaviour (this is useful in
lobbying: most politicians want the coalition to be seen to be liked)

The aspect I'm still uncertain about (though it seems the best
explanation) is

c) there is an intentional US policy of denying water to civilians as part
of military action.

Dan has provided long extracts from these clippings which provide, as he notes, " much more than we're getting reported in the US and UK".

I haven't had time to go through what he provided and edit or even reformat it at all, so I'll just upload it here. It makes sobering reading. (Remember that Brits write their dates Day/Month/Year.)

I hope the folks in the big international human-rights groups are working on this issue of the laws of war.

Comments

Comment from... Shirin, at November 4, 2004 01:26 AM:

Helena, in March, 2003 the Americans cut the water to Basra - the second largest city in Iraq - and would not allow workers to repair it. They tried to claim that it was the Iraqis, but that is utter nonsense, just as are their many claims that American missiles shot into civilian areas were Iraqi missiles gone astray, even after clearly marked pieces of American ordance were found at the scene.

They took over hospitals in Falluja, Najaf and other places, sniping from them at anyone who came near, and of course depriving wounded civilians of medical care. They have attacked ambulances and their crews out trying to pick up wounded and dead.

But, Helena, what's the use of HR groups or anyone else even talking about it. No one will ever do anything about it just as no one has ever done anything about the horrific human rights atrocities the Israelis commit on a daily basis. It's all a pointless activity unless something follows from it more than yet another report.

Comment from... Dan, at November 4, 2004 03:46 AM:

Thanks, Helena! The only way I found out about the issue was through one of your posts a while back.

Incidentally, if you believe the Washington Post, the water in Fallujah got turned off a couple of weeks ago:

"Electricity and water were cut off to the city [Fallujah] just as a fresh wave of strikes began Thursday night, an action that U.S. forces also took at the start of assaults on Najaf and Samarra."

[from Washington Post, 16 October]

But I haven't seen any mention of this elsewhere, so it could just be one confused journalist.

Comment from... Rowan Berkeley, at November 4, 2004 04:37 AM:

Shirin, I am normally averse to flame imagery, but in this case I can't help thinking that keeping the truth alive is somewhat like keeping a memorial flame burning, whether anyone looks at it or not.
Along with the water issue, let me just remind all that the oft-repeated issue of secondary explosions continues to be used by US goons as testimony of arms caches, whereas in reality it is simply a result of the general use of domestic gas canisters.
I am keeping up a very tight selection of general political stories on my blog, focusing on the nexus between US and Israeli Jews:
http://spookspot.blogspot.com

Comment from... Shirin, at November 4, 2004 10:35 AM:

1) Dan, I believe the article in the Wash Post was correct. I have heard from other sources, including refugees from that city, that Falluja has been without water and electricity for some time. As I pointed out, the Americans have been cutting water and electricity to an area, or an entire city (and blaming it on the Iraqi forces or "insurgents") from the very start of the invasion.

Incidentally, cutting water and electricity has been for decades one of the Israelis' standard practices. They have done it both as a "punishment" and as a standard part of any major attack or seige on an area. And that is far from the only thing the Americans have taken from the Israeli playbook.

2) Rowan, of course it is critically important to record and report on atrocities and human rights violations committed by the US and Israel in their various wars and occupations. It is just that while recognizing the necessity I also feel enormous frustration and despair because it never goes anywhere after that. Even in the rare case they are confronted with it, they will deny it, justify it, redefine it, and/or find some way to decide the law does not apply to the situation. At every point I have to say "So there's a record of it, so no one ever does or will ever do anything about it, and so every year those who commit these horrors get reelected, receive the congratulations of the world, grow stronger, find new and more horrible ways to get away with abusing the rights of those whom they hold helpless, and so what's the point?" This is a big contributor to the fact that I have developed a cynicism that grows ever greater day by day.

Comment from... Helena, at November 6, 2004 01:05 AM:

Shirin, hi--

I totally urge you not to despair. I know things are really tragic in so many places around the world these days. But I sincerely believe in the power of the informed (global) citizenry.... and if we can all join together, we can bring this era of neo-con arrogance and cruelty to an end. So we need your voice of honesty and pain as well as all the other voices. Thanks for sharing it here on JWN, and please please hang in here!

Comment from... Dan, at November 7, 2004 02:15 PM:

And now military analysts are talking about this as if it's completely uncontroversial and being done for the good of residents:

But the Marines, with their snipers and robotic assistants, are unlikely to go in before other tasks are accomplished, said Barak Salmoni, assistant professor in National Security Affairs at the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey.
Salmoni cited the current bombing campaign, designed both to obliterate insurgent command posts, armories and mined areas as well as to encourage civilians to leave the city before the ground assault -- something he said would probably be emphasized by cutting off water and other supplies.

Comment from... Shirin, at November 7, 2004 02:56 PM:

"encourage civilians to leave the city before the ground assault -- something he said would probably be emphasized by cutting off water and other supplies."

They "encourage" civilians to leave the city, then they refuse to allow them out or kill them when they try to leave.

Comment from... Helena, at November 7, 2004 03:03 PM:

Dan, thanks so much for staying on top of this crucial issue. The whole business is terrifying. But it's still worth while to continue to build the documentary base.

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