Iraq War Not Humanitarian, Group Says

[Cheswick2.0]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=540&e=6&u=/ap/20040126/ap_on_re_mi_ea/rights_report_iraq_2

LONDON - The war in Iraq (news - web sites) cannot be justified as an intervention in defense of human rights even though it ended a brutal regime, Human Rights Watch said Monday, dismissing one of the Bush administration's main arguments for the invasion.

While Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) had an atrocious human rights record and life has improved for Iraqis since his ouster, his worst actions occurred long before the war, the advocacy group said in its annual report. It said there was no ongoing or imminent mass killing in Iraq when the conflict began.

President Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair cited the threat from Saddam's alleged weapons of mass destruction as their main reason for attacking Iraq. But as coalition forces have failed to find evidence of such weapons, both leaders have also highlighted the brutality of the regime when justifying military intervention.


Human Rights Watch, however, rejected such claims.

[Paragon]

1. Outstanding

Every time Bush says he freed the Iraqi people, we'll ask him why he didn't do it sooner. :)

[Cheswick2.0]

2. Yes, I guess Dean was right again

I always rejected the idea that people were better off as kind of questionable. I don't think the 10s of thousands of dead people and their families are better off, do you?

[DarkSim]

3. The whole war was a scam....

and i'm happy more and more groups are making it public.

[ithacan]

4. here's the full Human Rights Watch report:

http://hrw.org/wr2k4/3.htm#_Toc58744952

...
Conclusion

In sum, the invasion of Iraq failed to meet the test for a humanitarian intervention. Most important, the killing in Iraq at the time was not of the exceptional nature that would justify such intervention. In addition, intervention was not the last reasonable option to stop Iraqi atrocities. Intervention was not motivated primarily by humanitarian concerns. It was not conducted in a way that maximized compliance with international humanitarian law. It was not approved by the Security Council. And while at the time it was launched it was reasonable to believe that the Iraqi people would be better off, it was not designed or carried out with the needs of Iraqis foremost in mind.
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[Jack Rabbit]

5. Dupe

Please click here.