Iraq's lost generation. (World).

Who is to blame for the poverty in Iraq: U.S. policies, UN sanctions, or Saddam Hussein?

Ali Zaher Mahmoud, 14, is his family's breadwinner. Each morning, Ali goes to work at a motorcycle repair shop near his home in Fadwet Arab, a poor area of Baghdad.

Ali's father is ill, so he cannot work. Ali's mother stays at home to care for his younger sister. And his three big brothers serve in the army.

"I like to work because this is how my family survives," says Ali, who earns 5,000 Iraqi dinars (less than 2 U.S. dollars) a week. His younger brother, Abba, 10, started working last year and earns almost 3,000 dinars a week.

Like most Iraqis, Ali's family relies on the government's food-ration (allowance) of lentils, rice, and flour to survive. The monthly ration should cover about 70 percent of the Mahmoud family's needs. But a portion of the food is often sold to pay for medicine, clothes, and shoes.

Ali blames the U.S. for his family's struggles: "This is all because of the U.S. [They] put sanctions [economic penalties] on my country, and now I have to work. Otherwise, I could have become a doctor."

Ali's opinion about Iraq's economic problems is not shared by everyone. U.S. officials say that Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein wastes vast amounts of money on presidential palaces and other luxuries.

War and Devastation

During the 1970s, Iraq's economy prospered (thrived). Education was highly valued, and many Iraqis traveled abroad to continue their studies.

Things began to change after 1979, when Hussein came to power. In 1980, he attacked Iran. A war between the two nations lasted eight years. Then, in August 1990, Iraq invaded nearby Kuwait.

Hussein refused to leave the tiny nation, thus sparking the Persian Gulf war. In January 1991, U.S.-led and United Nations (UN)-supported forces bombed military targets in Iraq and Kuwait, and drove the Iraqis from Kuwait.

Hundreds of thousands of people were killed, wounded, or displaced during the war, which lasted only about five weeks. The region also suffered severe environmental damage after Iraq dumped 465 million gallons of Kuwaiti oil into the Persian Gulf.

For the U.S., the war ended in frustration: Hussein was driven from Kuwait, but he remained in power.

The cease-fire agreement that ended the war called for Iraq to destroy its biological and chemical weapons--and any materials it might be using to develop nuclear weapons. Iraq also promised to allow UN inspectors to verify (confirm) such actions.

In an attempt to force Hussein to keep his promises, the UN imposed a trade embargo (restriction) on Iraq. The embargo only allowed for a limited amount of food and medicine to enter the nation, and Iraq could no longer sell oil legally. Since 1996, however, the UN has allowed Iraq to sell some oil to buy necessary items.

UN inspectors left Iraq in 1998, after Iraqi officials refused to let them visit suspected weapons sites.

The sanctions have not stopped Hussein, but they have hurt the Iraqi people. Much-needed supplies cannot reach the country, so Iraq's health care program, oil industry, and electric, telephone, and water services are not fully functioning.

How Can Students Learn?

Iraq's schools are also suffering. In Baghdad, Iraq's capital, the all-girl elementary school, el Ahd el Zaher (Arabic for "prosperous era") is in disrepair.

"There are no windows, no toilets, no cafeteria," says teacher Leyla Mezhel. "How can our students . . . learn anything? A lot of children don't show up for classes when it's too cold. If they need to use the toilets, we have to send them home."

Every Thursday morning in Iraq's schools, students line up for a flag-raising ceremony. They sing the national anthem and recite slogans praising Hussein.

"Our pride and our leader," chants one of the teachers.

"Saddam Hussein, Saddam Hussein," the students reply. "We'll melt like candles, we're not afraid of hunger... Victory, Victory; Victory."

A Dangerous Man

Unlike the Iraqi schoolchildren, President Bush has few kind words for Hussein. Bush says that Hussein is "a dangerous man" and that he must be driven from power.

Protesters around the world have tried to persuade Bush not to attack Iraq. Last month, the President said that the U.S. will try "one more time" to diplomatically force Iraq to live up to UN agreements.

Some Iraqis have already fled to neighboring Jordan to escape their country's repressive regime. They are among the few Iraqis who dare to speak out against Hussein.

"Anyone is better than Saddam Hussein," says Khaled, an Iraqi man who now lives in Amman, Jordan. "Our country has suffered a lot because of him. We will support anyone who helps us get rid of Saddam."

Iraqis at home risk death or imprisonment if they criticize their leader. A referendum (vote) held last month showed 100 percent support for Hussein among the 11.4 million Iraqis who voted.

"The only people who voted 'yes' with their hearts," one man told The New York Times, "were members of the Baath." Led by Hussein, Iraq's only legal political party is modeled on the old Soviet Communist Party; "Everybody else," the man added, "voted out of fear."

The Kurds, Iraq's largest ethnic minority, have felt Hussein's wrath intensely. In 1987, Iraqi jets dropped gas bombs on Kurdish villages, killing more than 100,000 people.

Kurds in northern Iraq and other minorities in the south are now protected by "no-fly" zones, imposed after the Gulf War. Iraqi jets cannot fly in these areas, which U.S. and British military planes patrol.

Living Again

Despite her family's struggles, Rand Ibrahimi, 15, is among those who defend Hussein. She and her family live in central Baghdad. Lately, they have found themselves selling valuable possessions to get by.

"We don't go out a lot," says Rand. "I sometimes, visit my friend downstairs, and we go for a walk." There is no cable TV in Iraq, and getting access to the Internet is difficult and expensive. But Rand listens to Western music on the radio. "I love the Backstreet Boys," she says.

Rand hopes for a brighter future, but for now she is preoccupied with the threat of another war. She does not understand why the U.S. would want to attack her country again.

"We suffered a lot in [the Gulf War]," she says. "Our country was destroyed. Now, we're finally managing to lift ourselves up. My country is living again. I don't want to relive that horrible experience."

Your Turn


WORD MATCH

1. ration      A. confirm
2. sanctions   B. trade restriction
3. verify      C. allowance
4. embargo     D. thriving
5. prosperous  E. economic penalties

THINK ABOUT IT

Should the UN end its sanctions against Iraq?

ANSWERS

1. C

2. E

3. A

4. B

5. D