The following is an archived copy of a message sent to a Discussion List run by the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq.
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On Thu, 24 Jun 1999, J. Vernon wrote: > When replying to this letter please KEEP IT SHORT. I've seen too many > optimistically long discourses on Iraqi-British relations since 1991 that > wouldn't even get read if they were published. I think the point to > emphasise is that the UN requirements are a moving target, and that > the implementation of them is unusual and cruel. > In addition to those points, and the moral issue of holding a country hostage to its government's actions, one can bring up the following points: * The US and UK administration officials have stated numerous times (especially since the past 2-3 years), that sanctions will *only* be lifted if the Iraqi regime is changed, and a "suitable" (i.e. favored by the US) is put in its place Example: March 26, 1997: Albright, in her first major foreign policy address as Secretary of State: "We do not agree with the nations who argue that if Iraq complies with its obligations concerning weapons of mass destruction, sanctions should be lifted. Our view, which is unshakable, is that Iraq must prove its peaceful intentions.... And the evidence is overwhelming that Saddam Hussein's intentions will never be peaceful." * With regards to weaponry, all agree that Iraq has destroyed most of its weaponry. Scott Ritter goes further and states that: "Iraq simply lacks the stocks of chemical and biological agent needed to have any militarily significant effect. Tens of thousands of munitions would be required, and at best Iraq has but a few hundred." - From his newly published book - Endgame (page 200)" "Today, Iraq no long possesses arms of mass destruction." - From an interview with the London-based Arabic newspaper Al-Hayat, March 31, 1999 For more quotes from Ritter, go to: iraqaction.org/ritter.html - Rania Masri http://iraqaction.org > > ...On the contrary, an alternative route to the same end > > exists. It is for Saddam Hussein to comply immediately and unconditionally > > with what the United Nations requires of him. > > -- > ------------------------------------------------------------------------- > This is a discussion list run by the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. > To be removed/added, email soc-casi-discuss-request@lists.cam.ac.uk, NOT > the whole list. Please do not sent emails with attached files to the list > *** Archived at http://linux.clare.cam.ac.uk/~saw27/casi/discuss.html *** > -------- Iraq Action Coalition http://iraqaction.org ----- To subscribe to the IAC E-mail List, send an e-mail to "majordomo@leb.net" with "subscribe iac-list" in the body of the message. -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is a discussion list run by the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. To be removed/added, email soc-casi-discuss-request@lists.cam.ac.uk, NOT the whole list. Please do not sent emails with attached files to the list *** Archived at http://linux.clare.cam.ac.uk/~saw27/casi/discuss.html ***