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PRESS RELEASE
The Violence of the Iraq War Radical Statistics 84 (2003)
http://www.radstats.org.uk
The most recent publication from this group of radical statisticians
provides rigorous analysis of statistical data relating to the 1991 and 2003
Iraq conflicts and is an attempt to reveal the reality behind the figures.
The changing attitudes of British citizens to war are analysed in detail
using surveys carried out in 1991 and 2003. The analysis shows an overall
growing distrust of justifications of war and concern for the consequences.
There were significant differences between sub groups, for instance: 4% of
Muslims approved of war on Iraq compared with 37% of non-Muslims. Only a
small proportion of respondents thought that the war would make the world a
safer place. Also, the differences according to voting intention were
interesting: 27% conservative, 22% labour, 12% Liberal Democrat and 29%
other.
While the USA publishes expenditure on the war, UK cost data is not
available. Some estimates for UK expenditure are presented, but it is clear
that the war cost US and UK taxpayers combined 100 billion dollars; there
may have been cheaper and much more democratic ways of getting rid of Saddam
Hussein.
Information about Iraqi casualties is imprecise, but the human costs in Iraq
resulting from the 1991 conflict are most clearly seen in the mortality
figures for Iraqi children. Records from UNICEF show that child mortality
worsened following the destruction of basic infrastructures, such as water
supply and waste disposal. Statisticians estimate that over half a million
children in Iraq have died since 1990 due to the effects of the two wars.
The most vulnerable are clearly at risk from the common avoidable diseases.
The publication is opportune at a time when expert consultants may be
distrusted.
The Radical Statistics Group (Radstats) consists of statistical researchers
concerned with the use and misuse of statistics in political life.
Independent of all political parties, Radstats members are committed to
building a more free, democratic and egalitarian society. They see
themselves as successors to the 19th century "statistical movement" who
actively campaigned for improved public health. Radstats rejects the
mystifying use of technical language to disguise social problems as
technical ones, and the lack of control by the community over the aims of
statistical investigations.
Dave Gordon may be contacted for comment at:
Townsend Centre for International Poverty Research
University of Bristol 8 Priory Road, Bristol BS8 1TZ, UK
E-Mail: [log in to unmask]
Tel: (44)-(117)-954 6761
Fax: (44)-(117)-954 6756
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