Iraqis' right to life no longer protected -Annan

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N157274.htm

UNITED NATIONS, Sept 15 (Reuters) - The right to life of civilians in Iraq has fallen victim to a combination of terrorism, violent crime and military excesses, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan reported on Thursday.

More than 80 percent of the 1,100 bodies brought in to Baghdad's Forensic Institute during the month of July bore evidence of violent death, "far in excess of the averages in previous months," Annan told the Security Council in a progress report on the world body's operations in Iraq.

"These figures are indicative of a steadily deteriorating trend and provide an important indicator of the absence of protection of the right to life which prevails at this time in Iraq," his report said.

In addition to insurgent attacks, there was continuing concern about military operations by the U.S.-led multinational force in Iraq that have resulted in "civilian deaths, injury and displacement caused by excessive or apparent indiscriminate use of force," he said.

[indepat]

1. The Iraqis were not promised the right to life: given liberty, freedom,

and democracy, it's not the time to be getting picky over life.

[sniffa]

2. but is abortion iLLegaL?

that's aLL that matters.