Health and Human Rights Consequences of War in Iraq: A Briefing Paper

The United States has spent many months planning for a concerted attack on Iraq, and in recent weeks, has revealed information about its massive military preparations. During this same period, there has been little public indication of plans and preparations to avoid civilian and "dual use" targets, minimize civilian casualties, or prepare for what may well be an enormous humanitarian crisis. Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) has concluded that preparing for such extraordinary use of military force to be deployed in a manner that will likely risk huge damage to infrastructure and civilian life, without due consideration for the consequences to the highly vulnerable population of Iraq, is intolerable. PHR joins in the call issued by other human rights organizations for the U.S. and its allies to be much more transparent about the anticipated consequences for the population during and following a war with Iraq and preparations for the anticipated humanitarian crisis.

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