Quote:
Originally posted by Skunk:
Try to understand why the sanctions are killing the Iraqis.
Iraq DOES buy as much food (up to the limits of the cash amount allowed) - however this is still NOT enough.
So what is killing the people:
1. Iraq wants to farm its own food - but can't. Why? Because the sanctions BLOCK farm equipment and pesticides.
2. Desert land needs water - only Iraq is not allowed to buy the pumps neccesary to irrigate the land (sanctions again)
3. People need clean water - unfortunately the sanctions block water treatment equipment - so disease spreads.
4. Medicines (esp. antibiotics) are banned (sanctions). So that dirty water is killing and diseases like cholera are rampant.
5. Medical equipment like X-ray machines are banned (sanctions) - so don't break a leg huh?
6. Iraq is not allowed to get CASH from the oil sales - this means that essential workers (like garbage workers, firemen etc) can NOT be paid...
and so on, and so on.
The sanctions goods list is ENORMOUS - and stupid.
Did you know that the basic item for personal hygene (soap) is a BANNED item??
Cloth material is a banned item
Leather is a banned item...
What are we afraid of?
That the Iraqi army will drop wet bars of soap in front of an allied army advance in the hope that the soldiers will slip up and break their necks???
Are we afraid that Saddam will develop cloth scud missiles and fire them from custom made leather launch pads???
If those 11 emtpy warheads were filled with the average Iraqi's drinking water - that would certainly constitute a biological weapon...
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Skunk, you are simply unlearned on this issue. The several American vessels patrolling the Iraqi waters catch:
1. Outbound illegal (i.e. against the oil-for-food program) oil, and
2. Inbound weapons
All the time!! Every few days!!
If they are starving, why's that petty despot sending perfectly good oil out for something other than food and against UN Sanctions????
Maybe the people are starving - but it's the leader's fault. This idiot ran his country broke in the 80s building the regions second largest army (region = draw a line from India to South Africa, and pass through every country you cross). Now he only wants to buy more weapons. Throwing money and supplies at the Iraqi problem will not help.