Aid Group Oxfam Withdraws From Iraq Because of Deteriorating Security

[Judi Lynn]

Aid Group Oxfam Withdraws From Iraq Because of Deteriorating Security
By D'arcy Doran Associated Press Writer
Published: Aug 27, 2003


BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - International relief agency Oxfam said Wednesday that it had pulled its foreign staff out of Iraq because the security level in the country had deteriorated to the point where the group could no longer operate.
"The risk level was becoming unacceptable for us, making it impossible for our programs to operate," Simon Springett, Oxfam's program manager for Iraq told The Associated Press from Amman, Jordan.

The death toll of American soldiers in Iraq rose to 279 on Wednesday as the military announced that a soldier had died of a non-hostile gunshot wound.

More soldiers have died since President Bush declared an end to major combat in Iraq on May 1 than before his declaration.

On Wednesday, a military court hearing began for four U.S. soldiers accused of abusing prisoners of war at a camp in southern Iraq. The hearing on whether to press charges against the men took place at Camp Bucca near the port city of Umm Qasr with. (snip/...)

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGALJBG7VJD.html

[symbolman]

1. Bush did NOT declare an end to MAJOR combat

"President Bush declared an end to major combat in Iraq on May 1 than before his declaration."

http://www.takebackthemedia.com/whitehouselies.html

they have REVISED the WHite HOuse site and the news orgs are now told to use MAJOR combat - NOT what was said..

Winston Smith

[wtmusic]

2. Bad, bad news

Why? Oxfam is one of the largest relief agencies that refuses any political affiliation whatsoever.

Another independent voice in Iraq is silenced.

[revcarol]

3. And Oxfam kept going all through the Serbia/Bosnia/Kosovo crisis

so they are no strangers to danger.

Ok, Bremer, tell us again how well things are going.