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The Scourging of Iraq: Sanctions, Law and Natural Justice, by Geoff Simons. London and New York: Macmillan and St. Martin's Press, 1998. xxii + 250 pages. Appends. to p. 327. Notes to p. 345. Bibl. to p. 347. Index to p. 363. $18.95 paper.
This is the second edition-the first was published in 1996-of a book by the author of Iraq: From Sumer to Saddam,' as well as other works on the Arab world, the United Nations and American foreign policy. Simons' purpose is to "highlight the continuing...punishment of the Iraqi people through economic sanctions," which is "unjustifiable in both [international] law...and natural justice" (p. xvii). In the process, he asserts that what is taking place is a "US-orchestrated genocide," described by Simons as a "new Holocaust," in which perhaps two million Iraqis have died through starvation and disease, half of them children. It is the latter to whom the author dedicates this book. Simons also contends that the "oil for food and medicine" program under UN Resolution 986 of April 1995 is a "propaganda and public relations tool" designed to further demonize Saddam Husayn-for whom it should be noted, Simons is no apologist-and to prevent sanctions from being lifted as long...