Priority? Protecting Oil or Health of Iraqis?



We say that the looting is just the Iraqi people blowing off steam. If the Iraqi people looted the oil fields we would and have stopped them. We planed to have sufficient forces and have sufficient forces to protect the 1200 plus oil wells. In fact today the US Central Command indicated we have sent additional troops into the Northern Oil Fields to ensure they are protected.



It is clear that we have placed protection of the health and lives of civilian Iraqis as a much lower priority. This is and was a conscious decision made by senior U.S. Military Planners. We need to hold them accountable for this and to strongly urge that this priority be changed. If not, the dominant Arab view that we are there just for the oil will be proven true.

The Rules of War as defined by the 4th Geneva Convention, which we have signed and say we are following, says the following about maintaining hospitals and medical care in Article 56.

http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/92.htm

We have to the fullest extent possible made means available to protect the oil fields, but we have not done this for hospitals and public service. Our generals keep saying it is not their responsibility to do this, but we as a nation have signed the Geneva Convention and say we are following it. We need to honor the exceptional efforts of our troops in the field, and those that have been injured or killed, by honoring our responsibilities under the Geneva Convention. Oil is important, but is it more important than the lives and health of the innocent Iraqis that are sick, injured or dying because of the war? At this point our priorities indicate that it is. We need to change them.