UN food envoy: USA is using starvation of civilians as a method of warfare

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L14613909.htm

U.N. food envoy says coalition breaking law in Iraq

GENEVA, Oct 14 (Reuters) - A United Nations human rights investigator on Friday accused U.S. and British forces in Iraq of breaching international law by depriving civilians of food and water in besieged cities as they try to flush out militants.

But the U.S. military denied the charge and said that while supplies were sometimes disrupted by combat, food was never deliberately withheld.

Jean Ziegler, a former Swiss sociology professor who is U.N. special rapporteur on the right to food, said the Geneva Conventions banned military forces from using "starvation of civilians as a method of warfare".

But he said that in Falluja, Tal Afar and Samarra, Iraqi and U.S.-led forces had cut off or restricted food and water to encourage residents to flee before assaults on entrenched Sunni insurgents over the past year.

"A drama is taking place in total silence in Iraq, where the coalition's occupying forces are using hunger and deprivation of water as a weapon of war against the civilian population," Ziegler told a news briefing.

[sarcasmo]

1. Nonminated. Didn't they do the same thing to New Orleans?

[in_cog_ni_to]

7. Funny you should say that.

When I saw the thread title, my first thought was New Orleans. :(

[mom cat]

11. Mine too. n/t

[tk2kewl]

2. The next president needs to sign on to the world court

[SillyGoose]

3. "...restricted food and water to encourage residents to flee..."

"...forces had cut off or restricted food and water to encourage residents to flee...."


Eerily similar to NOLA after Katrina. I remember reading that the Red Cross was prevented from going into NOLA because providing them food & water would encourage people to stay.

Its not right, no matter the reason or situation.

[SpiralHawk]

4. The Kruel Kru-Sade Kontinues

Skull & Boner torture and starvation for the INFIDELS, men women and children.

Not in my name.

Not in my name.

Not in my name using my tax dollars.

Stop now.

[Karenina]

5. Abroad and at home!

Or is that at home and abroad? :freak:

[LynnTheDem]

6. America doesn't do the Geneva Accords anymore.

God help every American who's ever taken captive in future.

[peacebird]

dark times

"God help every American who's ever taken captive in the future."

May God help everyone under assault by bushco's "democracy express" in the middle east

May God forgive us all for the evil done in our name

May the world stand lockstep together to stop the madness of king george

Democracy was a grand experiment, too bad so many people who had it took it for granted.

[peacebird]

8. dark times

"God help every American who's ever taken captive in the future."

May God help everyone under assault by bushco's "democracy express" in the middle east

May God forgive us all for the evil done in our name

May the world stand lockstep together to stop the madness of king george

Democracy was a grand experiment, too bad so many people who had it took it for granted.

[bettyellen]

9. new orleans or here the needy are brought to their knees and used as pawns

to funnel more money to the friends of the BFEE.

[Imalittleteapot]

10. One more reason to hate bush, Rummy and friends.