Iraqis Forced to Sell Their Children

Iraqis Forced to Sell Their Children

Posted by GottaLaff , Cliff Schecter's Blog at 6:10 PM on January 5, 2008.

How bad does it has to get?




How bad does it have to get? This story is making the rounds today:

Omar Khalif, vice-president of the Iraqi Families Association (IFA), an NGO established in 2004 to register cases of those missing and trafficked, said that at least two children are sold by their parents every week. Another four are reported missing every week.

See how things have improved since we invaded?

He said: "{The} numbers are alarming. There is an increase of 20 per cent in the reported cases of missing children compared to last year."

"In previous years, children were reported missing on their way home from schools or after playing with friends outside their homes. However, police investigations have revealed that many have been sold by their parents to foreign couples or specialised gangs."

According to police investigations and an independent IFA study, Iraqi children are being sold to families in many European countries - particularly the Netherlands and Sweden - Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.

"Taking advantage of the desperate situation of many families living under poverty conditions in Iraq, foreigners offer a good amount of money in exchange of children as young as one-month old and up to five years of age," Khalif said.

He said there are fears children are being trafficked for the sex trade and the organ transplant black market.

If you can stomach it, go read the rest. I could barely copy and paste. GottaCry.

http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/72817/

Here's the rest:
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/F22B4D85-59F6-4778-8E9F-C15E7F1CDB40.htm

Organ transplant black market ... wow, we sure have helped the Iraqi people now, haven't we? Sorry, babylonsister but you have finally rendered me almost completely speechless. I can see why you could read no further.

:hug:

I'll kick it and hope like hell it's not true. But I bet it has happened.

Disgraceful!

Another rousing success story in Iraq as people realize the true value inherent in their offspring as holding receptacles for transplantable organs. The free market rulz!

You'll all understand why this is such a resounding success of the Bush administration policies once Bill Kristol writes it up in hi new column for the New York Times. But trust me that this should cause the bosom of every red-white-and-true-blue American to swell with national pride! I can feel the swelling starting even now . . .

:puke: