Another report from Britain outlines the ghastly human rights abuses in Iraq. The report, in Acrobat format, can be found here. It joins the earlier report on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction.

What is really interesting is the response of Amnesty International, which grouses about the report--which they say they have not read yet--being used to encourage the removal of Saddam Hussein.

...As the debate on whether to use military force against Iraq escalates, the human rights of the Iraqi people, as a direct consequence of any potential military action, is sorely missing from the equation.



Life, safety and security of civilians must be the paramount consideration in any action taken to resolve the current human rights and humanitarian crisis. The experience of previous armed intervention in the Gulf and other conflicts has shown that, all too often, civilians become the acceptable casualties of war.



My take on it is that the most direct consequence of military action that takes Saddam's regime down will be freedom for the Iraqi people. Admittedly, there will be casualties,* but how many casualties will there be if this regime goes on unmolested for possibly another decade or so? More, if his equally psychotic son takes over?

Amnesty International is absolutely correct: Life, safety, and security of civilians must be the paramount consideration in any military action. And military action as soon as possible is what will ensure this in the long run.

Can't wait for the usual cast of characters to come leaping to Saddam's defense... ;)

*Most of them, I will bet, from desperate actions on Saddam's part, like dumping nerve gas indiscriminately around.