[thechat] When is it time for war?
deacon b.
web at master.gen.in.us
Wed Mar 26 15:50:39 CST 2003
> do you know how many needless infant deaths have occurred in iraq due
> to UN ECONOMIC SANCTIONS?
> unicef reports that number to be 500,000 since 1996. thats just kids
> under 5, and thats only since 1996.
Liar, liar, pants on fire.
I haven't bothered to notice whether you are anti-
war, or pro-war; I just noticed the offensive misuse
of statistics.
http://www.unicef.org/reseval/pdfs/irqu5est.pdf
The half-million is based on the eight-year period,
from 1991-1998, not the six-year period from 1996
to 2003. There aren't any statistics for 2003,
obviously, since most of 2003 hasn't happened yet.
How do they calculate that half million? They
compare actual under-five mortality with a rate of 30
per 1000. But has Iraq *ever* had an under-five
mortality of 30 per 1000? No. Never. Their best rate
ever was about 45.
Nor do they say it's due to UN economic sanctions.
It could be due to drought, or AIDS, or home-
schooling, sitting too close to the TV, or washing
down poprocks with Coke.
The current rate is about 130. Not anything to be
happy about, but it's still better than a lot of other
countries, During 1980 and 1995, Laos had rates of
142-182, Madagascar had 163-194, and Malawi had
234-258.
What's *their* excuse? I wasn't aware that there
were UN sanctions against any of *those* countries.
deke
--
RIP Adam Osborne, 1939-2003
And 23 pounds of thanks!
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