I'm not sure, Nicole. The most recent information on the WHO website is December 2000; it says, or implies strongly, that its either an infrastructure or government willingness issue. The part of Iraq in which a UN agency distributes food and other supplies to children was apparently doing well (defined as almost back up to pre-Gulf War levels) but malnutrition and other health issues had hardly improved at all in those rural areas where the Iraqi government had retained responsibility...there were no observed problems in major cities. Perhaps the basic problem is that there aren't enough trucks to get food and medicine where its needed. I've read, and I think it was at CNN.com but I wouldn't swear to it, that the Iraqi government has refused to request import permits as a matter of principal. Seems far fetched, but many things are possible.

I'd appreciate the opportunity to see the reference for the chlorine statistic.