The State Duma to settle scores with the US. If it does work…

Political troubles pursuing Russia have been added recently with economical ones. The United States imposed exorbitant import duty on steel. Negative reaction followed immediately. And the offended countries, including Russia, seem not to become calm soon. Though, let us leave this subject for economists and talk of politics. Russian lawmakers, while thinking about how to adequately answer to the US scurvy tricks on the international arena (creation of military bases in Middle Asia, menaces to Iran, Iraq and Northern Korea, situation in Georgia), decided to take in the rear. The State Duma charged the Committee on Foreign Affairs with requests about number of civil victims in Afghanistan caused by the US anti-terrorist operation. That was the suggestion of Gennady Raikov, leader of People’s Deputy group. According to the agenda, the Committee should present requested information within one month. Then, it should be handed over to UN Committee on Human Rights. It will be very simple then to puff up a great scandal. As a result – UN will recover full control on any military operations. What was so thoughtlessly given away to the US should be got back: Uncle Sam has become too enraged. Yesterday it was Afghanistan, tomorrow – that will be Iraq, the day after tomorrow – somebody else. However, the deputies should not limit themselves only to Afghanistan. They should also remind of victims in Yugoslavia and Iraq. The number of civil victims as a result of NATO bombardments in Yugoslavia makes from 1,200 to 1,800 killed people. Yugoslav representative to UN Security Council, Jovanovic, while appearing on June 10, 1999, said the number of killed people was 2,000, while the number of injured – 6,000. 30 percent of the killed and almost 40 percent of the injured are children. While the number of victims among Yugoslav military who tried to repulse the attacks is not known. Total number of people killed in this war is at least 3,000. Among targets of NATO aircraft, there were hospitals, temples, monasteries, factories, electric power stations, bridges, railways and highways, airports, hotels and dwelling houses. The general damage caused to the country’s economy made 200 billion dollars, i.e. the economy was returned to the level of 1945. The 1991 war in Persian Gulf caused such losses to the anti-Iraqi coalition: 145 people killed (including 95 Americans), while 58 US militaries were killed in war time out of operations districts (to compare: in the Vietnam war, the US lost 57,685 people); Great Britain lost 25 killed, while 12 were missing; Iraq’s losses were more serious – American army annihilated 150,000 to 300,000 Iraqis.

Dmitry Litvinovich PRAVDA.Ru

Translated by Vera Solovieva

Read the original in Russian: http://www.pravda.ru/main/2002/03/06/37975.html

Subscribe to Pravda.Ru Telegram channel, Facebook, RSS!

Author`s name Editorial Team
X