Iraq War 'will create a violent generation'

An Iraqi doctor has addressed a direct appeal to the UN secretary general over the plight of children in his home country, warning that the violence there was causing widespread emotional and behavioral damage -- and could lead to spiraling violence in the future. Dr. Abdul Kareem Al Obaidi, chair of the Iraqi Association for Child Mental Health, said that the situation was "desperate," with children suffering "unbearable traumas and heart-wrenching experiences." He warned UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon that there could be long-term problems for Iraq and the rest of the world as the children became adults. Behavior disorders, which never used to be a problem in Iraq, were now prominent, including delinquency, drug and substance abuse and a 50 percent rate of truancy from school. Emotional disorders such as depression, anxiety disorders including post-traumatic stress disorder and panic disorders were increasing dramatically among children, who made up 55 percent of the Iraqi population of 29 million, he said. "This is a crisis situation that needs urgent attention. Iraqi children are suffering from continuous exposure to violence; many are killed and mutilated every day. They suffer from neglect and abuse, oppression and the loss of parents through death and separation. Our children carry the future of Iraq, and that future is being corrupted. The risk is great, not just for our country, but for the region and the world."