Eric Hoskins, 'The Truth Behind Economic Sanctions', in Ramsey Clark et
al., War Crimes: A Report on United States War Crimes against Iraq
(Washington, D.C: Maisonneuve Press, 1992)
Eric Hoskins was the Medical Coordinator for the Gulf Peace Team which
carried out an extensive health assessment in Iraq during 1991. He
describes the humanitarian crisis in Iraq and discusses how the
theoretical exemption of medical and food supplies from sanctions was not
being applied in practice.
Fran Hazelton (ed.), Iraq Since the Gulf War: prospects for democracy
(London: Zed Books, 1994)
Published for the Committee Against Repression and for Democratic Rights
in Iraq, this book is a collection of articles by prominent opposition
Iraqis on different aspects of Iraq since the Gulf War. Among the relevant
articles are: 'Human Rights, Sanctions and Sovereignty' in which Laith
Kubba argues that sanctions without other measures to topple Saddam do
more harm than good; 'Attitudes to the West, Arabs and Fellow Iraqis'
(Ayad Rahim) which gives a valuable though anecdotal insight into
attitudes and aspirations of ordinary Iraqis; and an article by Abbas
Alnasrawi on the Iraqi economy.
Geoffrey Leslie Simons, The Scourging of Iraq: sanctions, law
and natural justice , 2nd edn (Basingstoke: Macmillan, 1998)
The most comprehensive book on the sanctions, it contains much useful
information and includes appendices of relevant Security Council
Resolutions and other documents. (see here for ordering)
Center for Economic and Social Rights, UNsanctioned Suffering
(1996)
Influential report on the humanitarian crisis in Iraq, by an international
team of 24 health experts, lawyers and economists who visited Iraq in
1996. Details a collapsed economy, crippled health and sanitation
infrastructure, and a largely ineffective oil-for-food scheme. Questions
the legality of the economic sanctions regime, and makes
specific recommendations to the Security Council.
Margaret P. Doxey, International sanctions in comparative
perspective, 2nd edn (Basingstoke: Macmillan 1996)
Provides a valuable theoretical and comparative background to the Iraqi
sanctions as well as extensive treatment of the Iraqi case itself.
Abbas Alnasrawi, The economy of Iraq: oil, wars, destruction of
development and prospects, 1950-2010 (Westport, Conn.: 1994)
In 1979, Iraq's per capita GDP was $4219. In 1993 it was only $485,
comparable to 1940s levels. Alnasrawi explores the causes of this
'nullification of nearly half a century of growth', tracing Iraq's
economic development and the damage done to it by the two Gulf Wars and
subsequent economic sanctions. His view of Iraq's future prospects is
bleak.
Peter Boone, Haris Gazdar and Athar Hussain (for the Center of Economic
and Social Rights), Sanctions against Iraq: Costs of Failure
(November 1997)
Reports on the 1996 trip by LSE economists to Iraq. Focuses on
macroeconomic impact, wages, and the government's
rationing system, which they claim has prevented mass starvation. Briefly
reviews the oil-for-food programme and the
possible alternatives to sanctions, criticising the reasons given by the
US and UK for continuing with a programme of comprehensive sanctions.
Economist Intelligence Unit publications
The EIU issues several publications on the economic and political
situation in Iraq, among them the Country Profile (yearly), Country Report
(quaterly), Country Risk Service (quaterly) and Country Forecasts (twice
yearly with updater in each intervening quater). They provide economic
analysis and discussion of the political scene both domestically and
internationally. This includes assessment of the impact of sanctions. The
Country Forecast also makes a five-year macroeconomic projection.
S. Zaida and M. Fazwi, 'Health of Baghdad's Children', The Lancet,
346 (2 Dec 1995), 1485.
FAO researchers describe the methodology and results of a 1995 FAO survey
of nutritional status and mortality among under-fives in Baghdad. They
found 'a strong association between economic sanctions and increase in
child mortality and malnutrition rates' and estimated that between 1990
and 1995, 567,000 children have died because of sanctions. The editorial
in the same issue calls for the collation and publication of a dossier of
all assessments of health in Iraq, arguing that the world's peoples must
be aware of the consequences of the sanctions that are imposed in their
name and asking that a way be found to prevent Iraq from rearming without
penalising its people.
Letters: The Lancet , 347 (20 Jan 1996), 198-200.
The response to the Zaidi-Fawzi letter, including a discussion of the
results with a reply from the authors; a report by Omar A Obeid and
Abdul-Hussein Al-Hadi on their own research into nutritional status of
under-twos in Baghdad; a Japanese perspective pointing out that the huge
reparations Germany had to pay after the First World War triggered
Hitler's rise, whereas the generous treatment of Japan after WW2 led it to
accept democracy; and two letters arguing that the Iraqi regime is to
blame for any humanitarian crisis.
International Study Team, Health and Welfare in Iraq after the Gulf
Crisis: An In-Depth Assessment from August, 1991 (1991)
The report of the first large independent and interdisciplinary mission
(87 researchers) to Iraq; they are funded by Unicef, the MacArthur
Foundation, the John Merck Fund and Oxfam-UK. Their report ranges from
mortality and nutrition to child psychology and interviews with women.
Jean Dreze and Haris Gazdar, 'Hunger and Poverty in Iraq, 1991', World
Development , 20(7) (1992), 921-945
The report of the economists on the International Study Team. They praise
the Iraqi distribution system as equitable and efficient but note that
Iraq's dependence on imports left it unable to prevent famine conditions
during the bombing and considerable hardship subsequently.
The Harvard Study Team, 'The effect of the Gulf crisis on the children of
Iraq', New England Journal of Medicine, 325 (1991), 977-980
Doctors and public health specialists reporting on damage done to Iraq's
health infrastructure as a result of the Gulf conflict. Destruction of
infrastructure has caused the effects of bombing to be devastating.
WHO report on the Health Conditions of the Population of Iraq (March
1996)
http://www.who.int/eha/resource/pubs/000396.html
Compares pre- & post-war health, looking at child malnutrition, maternal
and child health, the malaria epidemic, and other infectious diseases.
Also reviews other effects of sanctions, including the impact on GNP and
the food situation. Directly attributes the severe nutritional and health
problems to sanctions.
UNICEF, Situation Analysis of Children and Women in Iraq - 1997
(April 1998)
ftp://www2.unicef.org/pub/iraqsa
Examines the extent to which child rights are being protected in Iraq,
focusing especially on malnutrition, education, health, water supply and
gender equity. It catalogues the way in which these have
deteriorated since the imposition of sanctions, with no real improvement
under oil-for-food.
UNICEF nutritional status survey of October and November 1997 Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) carried out by Unicef and the Iraqi Ministry of Health reveals almost a million Iraqi children to be malnourished, a third of Iraq's children. Little difference between rural and urban areas is found.
UN World Food Programme, Protracted Relief and Recovery Operations -
Iraq, 21 December 1998.
http://www.wfp.org/eb_public/EB.1_99_English/682e98.pdf
Details the WFP plan to provide nutritional supplements to over one
million of the most vulnerable Iraqis (malnourished children and their
families and those in hospitals and other institutions). It identifies
the "massive deterioration" of infrastructure as the main reason for
continuing nutritional problems.
H.N. Barnouti, Letter from Iraq: Effect of sanctions on surgical practice,
British Medical Journal, 313 (7 Dec 1996), 1474-5
The author, an assistant professor of surgery at the Al-Mustansyriya
Medical School, Baghdad, describes the severe effects of shortages of
drugs and other medical supplies on surgical operations and staff morale.
M. al-Farekh, A physician's eyewitness report in Iraq [letter],
The Lancet 345 (13 May 1995), 1242
The author, who visited seven medical centres throughout Iraq, describes
the shortage of very basic medical supplies and the resultant
deterioration of medical care that he saw.
Lori Buck, Nicole Gallant and Kim Richard Nossal, 'Sanctions as a
gendered instrument of statecraft: the case of Iraq', Review of
International Studies, 24 (1998), 69-84
Uses secondary data to assess the differential impact of economic
sanctions on women in Iraq.
Report of the UN Secretary-General of 1 February 1998
(S/1998/90)
http://www.un.org/Depts/oip/reports/01feb98.html
Looks at the problems encountered in the efficient operation of the
oil-for-food programme, and puts in place an altered system for approving
imports into Iraq. The report is especially concerned with the dire status
of Iraq's electricity sector. Calls for expanded assistance to address the
humanitarian situation, in light of the health and nutritional status of
the Iraqi population.
Report of the UN Secretary-General of 19 November 1998 (S/1998/1100)
http://www.un.org/Depts/oip/reports/180day4.html
Detailed review of the implementation of the oil-for-food programme.
Specific focuses are the UN observation and monitoring system in place in
Iraq, and the food, health, water, agriculture, electricity and education
sectors. Draws attention to how the low oil prices have prevented the
fulfillment of the distribution plan .Malnutrition is reported to have
stabilised at one
quarter of the child population in South/Centre Iraq
Report of the UN Secretary-General of 22 February 1999 (S/1999/187)
http://www.un.org/Depts/oip/reports/90day5.htm
Detailed review of the implementation of the oil-for-food programme. Major
problem addressed is the shortfall in humanitarian funding due to the low
price for oil. A secondary problem is the difficulties encountered in
distributing humanitarian goods brought into the country, especially in
the medical and sanitation sectors. Delays at the Sanctions Committee in
approving exports are identified and criticised.
Statement by Benon V. Sevan, Executive Director of the Iraq Programme to
the Security Council, 25 February 1999.
http://www.un.org/Depts/oip/latest/benonfeb25.html
Focuses on funding limitations due to low oil price, and problems in the
electricity and transport sectors. Detailed annexes outline where the
funds of oil-for-food go, and the blockages encountered at the UN
Sanctions Committee.
For any comments, queries, or suggested additions or alterations, please contact Glen Rangwala gr10009@cam.ac.uk.