US's Iran war funds could have saved 87M lives: UN
US's Iran war funds could have saved 87M lives: UN
The United Nations's humanitarian chief, Tom Fletcher, has slammed the United States for its spending on the ongoing war in Iran.
Speaking at Chatham House in London, Fletcher said that the $2 billion a day spent by US President Donald Trump could have saved over 87 million lives.
He also warned against normalizing violent language like "bombing Iran back to the stone ages," which he said encourages autocrats worldwide to target civilians and infrastructure.
Fletcher slams UK politicians for inaction
Fletcher also slammed British politicians for their inaction over the past decade, leaving the UK in a "defensive crouch."
He said recent cuts to UK aid were so severe that they drew laughter at conferences where the country claims to be a thought leader.
The UN humanitarian chief is facing a funding crisis with his budget cut by 50%. This was not only due to the US but also international cuts driven by ideology and defense budgets.
War in Iran could have global repercussions
Fletcher warned that the war in Iran could have global repercussions, with food and fuel inflation nearing 20%.
He predicted this would push more people into poverty in sub-Saharan and East Africa for years to come.
"For every day of this conflict, $2 billion is being spent," he said.
He added that his hyper-prioritized plan to save 87 million lives could have been funded in less than two weeks of US spending on the war.
Fletcher torn over accepting US aid
Fletcher also revealed he was torn over accepting US aid if it came with conditions on issues like abortion or transgender rights. He said he wasn't planning to accept such funding.
The UN humanitarian chief admitted that cuts from the US were particularly hard since it used to contribute 40-45% of his budget in previous years. However, he noted similar cuts were happening across Europe as well.
Urges greater protection for humanitarian workers
Fletcher also called for greater protection of humanitarian workers, who have been increasingly targeted in recent years.
He said over 1,000 such workers were killed in the past three years alone.
"We are the emergency service, the fire engines, the ambulance worker going to support survivors, yet somehow it has become acceptable that we are being killed..." he said.
He urged a UN Security Council member to hold accountable those who killed humanitarian workers and to stop arming them.