But we should recall that Iraq already pays the salaries of 400 UN workers in the country. These workers file regular reports about conditions within Iraq. Why not draw from the conclusions of Mr. Denis Halliday and Mr. Hans von Sponeck, both of whom resigned their senior UN posts because they couldn't in conscience continue to supervise UN policies that directly harm Iraqi civilians. Supporters of sanctions have criticized visits like ours, saying that the Iraqi government welcomes us only because we are useful for propaganda purposes. But our visits give us the insights necessary to balance the reports, which prevail in the US media, and the claims of government officials who have no direct knowledge of Iraq.
Democracy is based on information.
Our accounts of living with needy families in southern Iraq are necessary if the US public is to make clear, informed decisions about our relations with Iraqi people. We don' t return with government propaganda. We report what we've seen and heard. Our main contact in Basra is the Catholic Archbishop who is in union with Rome. The Pope has called the sanctions cruel and pitiless and, with numerous other religious leaders, heads of state, members of Parliament, and two Nobel laureates, has called for an end to sanctions.