When allied bombing destroyed the national electrical grid in January 1991, water treatment plants ceased to function throughout most of Iraq. Iraqis in most cities turned to highly polluted rivers as the principal source of water for drinking, bathing, and for the disposal of untreated sewage. Water trucks were pressed into service in Iraq's cities during the war following the destruction of safe water supplies. Limited in number, many of these trucks were destroyed during the civil war in March and April 1991, leaving many Iraqis vulnerable to lethal waterborne diseases. In the absence of a functioning national electrical grid, thousands of high-capacity generators are needed for the purification and pumping of water, for the disposal of sewage, and other essential services.
Serious shortages exist in basic commodities needed for the survival of Iraq's civilian population.
We refer to wheat, rice, beans, sugar, and cooking oils, all staples of the Iraqi diet. Due to the shortage of basic foodstuffs, food prices now average 1,000 percent higher than prices a year ago. Basic foods are priced out of reach for many Iraqi families. The nutritional deficit is leading to acute protein and calorie malnutrition now showing up in children at hospitals and health centers throughout Iraq. Further, the number of livestock in Iraq is decreasing due to lack of food, vaccines, medicines and veterinary equipment.