BRITISH AND AMERICAN BOMBING RAIDS AGAINST IRAQ CONTINUE. PRAVDA.RU SPEAKS OUT AS WORLD’S PRESS REMAINS SILENT - 4 December, 2000

Iraq complains in the United Nations Organization about the British and American bombing raids against “civilian targets”. Mohammed Said Al-Sahhaf, Iraqi Foreign Minister, delivered the complaint to the UNO Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, stating that “Iraq condemns these hostile acts against civilian targets and requests (Kofi Annan) to intervene, so as to force the British and American governments to cease these hostilities”. This message follows years of bombing raids by British and American military aircraft and even strafing raids against Iraqi agricultural developments, burning cereals to deprive the population of food. Such raids were captured by hidden cameramen and displayed on the Portuguese state television channel, RTP, after the end of the Gulf War. The images soon ceased to be broadcast and were never again shown. As the bombing raids continue, the world’s press remains quiet. Sanctions against Iraq continue, more through a caprice or whim from the USA than for any reasonable purpose, as the North American government tries to control the world’s oil supply, keeping its own huge reserves untapped. Iraq, with a potential production of 10 million barrels of crude per day, is a major player in this arena and so, in today’s immoral world, where values count more for the amount of dollars they bring, what is happening there and the silence of the world’s press, does not surprise anyone.

Timothy Bancroft-Hinchey Pravda.Ru Lisbon