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I have no problem with Ann Clwyd coming to air her views on Iraq. I would like to ask her why her desire to indict Saddam prevents her from campaigning against sanctions at the same time. The answer seems to be that, in her manichean world-view, there can be only one source of evil. Hence her opinion in Tribune, 19/2/99, apparently copying a Foreign Office form letter: "Saddam Hussein is responsible for his people's suffering - not the rest of the world. There is no valid reason why Iraqi hospitals should not have enough medicines to treat even the most serious cases. Food and medicines have been exempt from sanctions from the start. Since 1991, the UN has allowed Saddam the opportunity to sell oil - provided the proceeds are used only for the Iraqi people and are not diverted to his war machine. For five years, he deliberately refused to do so. The oil for food programme has recently been expanded so that Iraq can sell $10.6 billion worth of oil every six months in exchange for food and medicines. Iraq is now able to export 85 per cent of its pre-sanctions level of oil. Even allowing for the amount used to compensate victims of Saddam's invasion of Kuwait, there should be more than enough supplies for the Iraqi people." AS for Clwyd's other credentials, some of them mentioned by Alan - in the past she has done sterling work on Kurds and pit closures. I don't remember her as an anti-apartheid activist, though no doubt she'd have done the right thing if asked. These days she tends to stick to softer issues, like Indict, disability and battery hens. -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- This is a discussion list run by the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq For removal from list, email soc-casi-discuss-request@lists.cam.ac.uk Full details of CASI's various lists can be found on the CASI website: http://welcome.to/casi