>>>>And I know you would agree this is all the more reason why we should act responsibly. But it is also the reason why countries like France - whose last little bit of importance in the world comes from its anachronistic permanent seat on the SC - can afford to do business with Saddam, knowing that if he really becomes a threat to the world the US and Israel will protect them, and therefore had lattitude to behave irresponsibly in the matter of Iraq.
>>>
>>>You probably haven't heard what French foreign minister had to say about it. Off the top of my head: "Yes, we were Iraq's 7th most important foreign trade partner. But USA was the 1st."
>>
>>Is this supposed to be pre 1991 or since the imposition of sanctions?
>
>I don't know the answer to that, Charles, but here's an example of how things like this get muddy...
>
>A large cigarette manufacturer in the US had to stop shipping to Iraq after 1991 (or whenever... it may have been later). Their subsidiary in FRANCE kinda took over that market. The French employee responsible was feted at US HQ many times over the next many years because his volumes were highest of all. Everyone in the company knew full well where his sales were going.
>
>So was it the French that were reaping profit from Iraq post embago or was it the US?
>
>cheers
Very good point. The trans-national nature of business really does make it all very muddy. And when it comes to corporate profit at the expense of national interest the US has given history plenty of examples where there were lots of different agendas - politicians either pursuing policies deliberately favorable to their contributors or ignoring that their contributors were acting in ways that conflicted with administration policies.
But I think in the case of Iraq 1991-2004 the Russians, French and Chinese were very much hoping to subvert the sanctions with an eye to lucrative contracts. Many US corps would probably have enjoyed doing the same thing, but our national policies were putting them at a disadvantage in Baghdad. (unless, of course, as you say they worked through European affiliates <s>)
Charles Hankey
Though a good deal is too strange to be believed, nothing is too strange to have happened.
- Thomas Hardy
Half the harm that is done in this world is due to people who want to feel important. They don't mean to do harm-- but the harm does not interest them. Or they do not see it, or they justify it because they are absorbed in the endless struggle to think well of themselves.
-- T. S. Eliot
Democracy is two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for lunch.
Liberty is a well-armed sheep contesting the vote.
- Ben Franklin
Pardon him, Theodotus. He is a barbarian, and thinks that the customs of his tribe and island are the laws of nature.
