The original excuse for the implementation of sanctions against Iraq was its invasion of Kuwait on August second, 1990, after a dispute over shared oil fields on their borders. On August sixth of that year the most comprehensive sanctions ever imposed on a country were placed on Iraq. During the Gulf War most of the Iraqi’s killed were of Kurdish or Sheer origin. The very ethnic minorities that Saddam had been trying to root out of Iraq. George Bush senior had called upon these minorities to rise up against Saddam. By March 1991 Saddam’s rule over the Southern part of Iraq had collapsed. But the United States quickly rushed to the rescue and crushed the revolting Iraqi’s. Then as quickly as they had re-solidified Saddam’s hold on power the United States government stated that the sanctions would not be lifted until Saddam was removed from power. Twelve years have passed, Saddam Hussein is still in power, and the Iraqi people are still dying.
The real reason for the sanctions is all too obvious. Iraq has the second largest oil deposits in the world, and the United States has had much to gain over the years by allowing their friends in western oil corporations to pillage Iraq at every chance. As resistance builds up in Iraq, the U.S. steps up its campaign from just sanctions to sanctions + bombing.
What is being done to help?
The United Nations has begun a program called “oil for food.” All of Iraq’s oil money is controlled by the United Nations. It takes orders from Iraq for food, medicine and other supplies, and then uses oil money to pay for them. The problem is that over $6 billion in transactions for essential goods are “on hold” in New York, where they are processed. What supplies they do receive are much too little to sustain the whole of Iraq. The program is grossly inadequate and under funded and the food that is sent to Iraq lacks animal proteins, vitamins and minerals which are essential to the health of the Iraqi people. The disturbing reality is that on top of lifting the sanctions, it would cost about $50-$60 American to get the Iraqi economy on its feet after the devastating affects of the sanctions.
What threat does Iraq pose?
According to former U.N. weapons inspector, Scott Ritter, in 1991 Iraq had chemical, biological and nuclear weapons as well as ballistic missiles. Most of these weapons of mass destruction were provided by the United States for use against Iran in the Iran-Iraq war. This includes the biological weapons provided by the United States that you may recently have read about in the mainstream press. But by 1998 Iraq’s weapons systems had been completely dismantled, by the U.N. and the Iraqi government in compliance with U.N. demands. Weapons inspectors can see for themselves that no weapons of mass destruction exist in Iraq. There is no threat to the west from Iraq.
Despite the stunning facts, the governments of the west continue to support the blockade of Iraq, economic sanctions and occasional bombing raids. When will the people of Iraq suffer enough for the profits of big oil corporations and the west's lust for dominance of the Middle East? Former Secretary of State Madeline Albright stated "we believe the price is worth it," she was of course referring to the U.S. government at that time and thing's have no changed. Now the administration of George Bush Jr. is gearing up for further genocide directed at the people of Iraq. Why does the U.N. pursue this policy towards Iraq? Why is an entire society condemned to a slow death by sanctions?
We must fight against this ongoing extension of the Gulf War. Launch protests, make your voice heard, contact your government representatives or you’re President/Prime Minister. We can save the lives of millions of innocent Iraqi's.
Note: All statistics and facts listed above come from one of the following sources.
-United Nations
-Ramsay Clark-Former U.S. attorney general who has visited Iraq every year since the beginning of the sanctions and worked extensively to have them lifted.
-Scott Ritter-Former United Nations weapons inspector.
-Dennis Holiday-former United Nations assistant secretary general who resigned when he saw the effects of the sanctions of the people of Iraq.