How Winston will rebuild Iraq
In 2006 NZ NGO spending on Iraq was $185,443. That’s not far off the sum donated to Winston Peters, and his apparently selective view of public accountability, which is causing such a stir. It’s a shame that the crisis of Iraq seems to be afforded somewhat less attention.
In 2007 the Minister of Foreign Affairs announced NZs pledge of $1.4 million dollars to help people worst affected in both Iraq and Somalia. $700K for each.
NZAid would apparently provide a further $1M to a United Nations fund that supports immediate responses to reduce the impact of conflict and disaster.
A total of $2.4M New Zealand dollars – but by no means all of it was to be spent on Iraq.
Mr Peters was certainly right when he said:
“The situation in Iraq is fast becoming one of the most serious humanitarian crises of our time. Relentless violence has left large numbers of people displaced and dependent on external aid for survival,” Mr Peters said.
But although money to Iraq has increased significantly from 2006 figured, perhaps the real scale of the crisis was not really understood.
“The cost of direct US military operations – not even including long-term costs such as taking care of wounded veterans – already exceeds the cost of the 12-year war in Vietnam and is more than double the cost of the Korean War.” (ref here).
According to Joseph Stiglitz and Linda Blimes the real financial cost of the war in Iraq and Afghanistan is some $3Trillion US Dollars. The only war in our history which cost more was the Second World War, at a total cost (in 2007 dollars, after adjusting for inflation) of about $5 trillion (that’s $5 million million).
But despite the inconceivable enormity of these sums, in war, there are only victims. And the cost, as enormous as it is, goes well beyond dollar figures.
The civilian body count in Iraq is estimated to be a little under 100,000.
On top of that, the unsanctioned invasion and war, has led to the displacement of over 5 million Iraqis. That’s more than the population of New Zealand. It’s one third of the population of Iraq.
The victims are legion.
And the greatest tragedy of all is the way it remains so hidden from us. It receives little if any attention, which is why I am personally so glad for Adi Leason’s vision for this fundraiser, and for those MPs who see its importance to be able to attend and show their commitment. It’s just a shame there aren’t more of you.
Rebuilding Iraq is one of the most pressing moral and political issues of our time. Our level of commitment to it and the 5 million people displaced from their homes says a great deal about the kind of people we have become, and about our own values.
As our nation, our ratio of overseas development to national income sits at a pathetic 0.27% – well below the desirable 0.7, and well outside the aims and ambitions of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. No amount of spin and rhetoric will change that. It requires imagination and courage.
We may be a small island, but historically we have a big heart. Our generosity and compassion should not be consigned to the history books.
We pride ourselves for our less aggressive military stance, but with-holding aid is as destructive as raising a gun. If you beat your swords into ploughshares, you need to get on with ploughing and cultivating.
If we fail in our generosity towards others, no matter whether they are friend or stranger, we simply become victims of our own short sightedness and self-seeking ambitions – and we become less than human. Generosity humanises giver and recipient. It’s the route through which the stranger is transformed to a friend.
The Garden of Eden of which we read in the book Genesis is set in what is now modern day Iraq. That story describes what it means to live in God’s presence, truly human, free and generous. Now, this day, we have a chance to live that freely, that humanly, that generously once again by giving the people of Iraq the same chance – the same dignity – the same love – which we ourselves so desire.
I hope we have the imagination and courage to do that. And I hope the government has the imagination and courage to aspire to greater and more realistic levels of overseas aid – levels that allow really do offer a fair go for all.
Perhaps our generosity could be as relentless as our violence?
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