Don,

Really grateful for your long post and info in it. A friend from the Christian Peacekeepers Team just returned home from Baghdad (to Athens OHio) a few days ago. I went to hear her speak about her experiences in Baghdad where she has been since October. Both chilling and thoughtprovoking. She volunteered in an orphanage for handicapped children, spent much time in the bazaars and with people on the street, and saw first hand the bombs falling and so on. The US has been bombing (children's) hospitals and other civilian targets. Food is scarce, many basic hospital supplies non-existent. There are many who die of routine respiratory and other illnesses for lack of medical supplies. No anaesthetics available for even the simplest procedures. Yet all the people who were there as part of the team were treated kindly and with respect by all.The ordinary citizens know the difference between the American people and the American government. This isn't thread creep-- just some fuel for people more gifted than I in the songwriting department. By the way, official stats on death of children due to sanctions since the Gulf War (UNICEF) 1/2 MILLION. Most of it because they could not get needed medicines. The rate of death due to leukemia 4-7 times the rate before the Gulf War.

Bekki