h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

:'(

I'm jealous. Didn't I rant in the Iraq thread enough to be included?

Clarification: 500,000 is the estimated number of Iraqi children aged 5 or under who died due to sanctions (lack of medical supplies, water treatment equipment and chemicals, etc). I think the number came from the UN, so fairly credible. And I think that number was the estimate as of 1996 or 1997, back when Leslie Stahl infamously interviewed Madeline Albright on 60 Minutes ("Yes, we feel it is worth it.").

So we would need a new estimate to bring us up to date on the number of Iraqi children aged 5 or under, and this would not count the number of adult civilians or children over 5. That total would be more in the range of a million, or millions?

So 500,000 is an outdated *fraction* of the total civilians killed by the sanctions and side effects of strategic bombing of infrastructure during Gulf War I.

Subcom, you're right about the numbers... We were just doing it after lunch on a Sunday afternoon, and of *course* you should have been included! I apologise! The figures came from my trusty John Pilger book, as it was just we two and my ancient manual typer. (Then I took the ms into school and posted it.) Thanks for your kind words!

I didn't mean to scold you too harshly. I know it was just a satire. But I wanted to remind people that the real number is closer to 1 or 2 million, if you count Iraqi civilians of all ages, and if the estimate for just children 5 and under were brought up to date.