Why We Need a Marshall Plan for Iraq (Part 1): Malnutrition is Up

After World War Two the Marshall Plan, a massive programme of US economic aid, helped the war-torn countries of Europe to recover and establish democracies from the ashes of totalitarianism. In his 1999 Chicago Speech, ‘Doctrine of the International Community’ Tony Blair argued ‘We will need a new Marshall plan for Kosovo, Montenegro, Macedonia, Albania and Serbia too if it turns to democracy’. But the actually existing ‘international community’ did not deliver in the Balkans and it is failing to deliver in Iraq. There is no new Marshal Plan for Iraq. Instead, according to a shocking article in USA Today, there is a rise in child malnutrition.

‘A study by a Norwegian institute says the percentage of Iraqi children ages 6 months to 5 years suffering from malnutrition has nearly doubled to 7.7% from 4% in March 2003…"It's on the level of some African countries," Jon Pederson, deputy managing director of the Fafo Institute for Applied International Studies, told the Associated Press. "Of course, no child should be malnourished, but when we're getting to levels of 7%-8%, it's a clear sign of concern."
The USA Today reporters point out that these statistics are disputed by Khalil Muhsin, director of Iraq's Nutrition Research Institute. "I think the data is suspect, and the figure as such is completely exaggerated," says "The recent intervention of the Ministry of Health and improvement of salary scales and the infrastructure have all contributed to reducing malnutrition in Iraq this year," Muhsin says. The Health Ministry says its findings show 4.4% of children 6 months to 5 years old suffer from acute malnutrition’. But even if Muhsin is right, there has been an increase in child malnutrition from 4% to 4.4 %.
Iraq is the hinge of our time. Upon the outcome of the struggle in Iraq to establish a functioning democracy hangs the course of world politics for the next generation. Economic development and social justice will dry up the swamps in which terrorism and support for baathist violence breeds. A step-change in the level of economic aid sent to Iraq by the international community would not be merely altruistic, though altruism would be a good enough reason in itself. It would also be in direct self-interest of every country on the planet. (AJ)

For the full article by Jim Michaels, Melanie Eversley and Sabah al-Anbaki go here