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Editor:
Regarding my letter published Wednesday ("United States' motives behind bombing misguided") criticizing the U.S.-orchestrated siege of Iraq, it seems clear to me that you have engaged in deliberate censorship of the letter.
You removed several "sensitive" points such as that the 500,000 killed included 200,000 children, which is a minimum figure from UNICEF and U.N. FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) reports of 1995, as a result of both bombing and blockade.
The reference to the study finding the blockade to be a violation of the U.N. charter was also removed.
Mention of protests in U.S. cities, a hopeful counterpoint to general public apathy, you completely censored, in a repeat of the near-total news censorship of dissent during the bombing spree of 1991.
Here is a table from the 1995 U.N. FAO report for your information:
Year Period Estimated total Deaths
Children under five
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1989 Jan. - Dec. 7,110
1990 Aug. - Dec. 8,903 [sanctions begin]
1991 Jan. - Dec. 27,473 [year of bombing]
1992 Jan. - Dec. 46,933
1993 Jan. - Dec. 49,762
1994 Jan. - Dec. 52,905
Martin Taylor
assistant professor, Department of Entomology
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