Re: Saddam supported Stop on Oil Exports

On Mon, Jul 07, 2003 at 12:31:06AM -0600, Aaron J. Seigo wrote:
> On Sunday 06 July 2003 11:53, Rob Kaper wrote:
> > In case people still blame oil export restrictions for the poverty in Iraq:
> > how come Saddam Hussein ordered a stop on all exports in 2002? When your
> > country is starving, you normally don't cut your primary source of income.
> 
> Saddam Hussein is/was a horrible person. you keep confusing statements 
> purporting injustices done by people and organizations external to Iraq to 
> being tantamount to saying Saddam was OK.

No, it's you who draw that link right now, I didn't even consider that.

> secondly, the poverty and problems related to the oil export restrictions 
> started far before 2002. if 2002 had been the beginning of problems, you'd 
> have a case. but it wasn't, so you don't.

> thirdly, yes, there were amounts of oil leaving Iraq, enough to make it worth 
> Saddam's time to stop them from flowing. however, and more importantly, it 
> was how the proceeds were, or rather weren't, used for the good of the Iraqi 
> people as was the original concept. not only was oil production curtailed, 
> the money made off that curtailed production was hampered by people on both 
> sides from getting to the people who needed it the most.

Iraq has received over 10 billion USD in food and 44 billion
USD in goods during the 13 phases of the food-for-oil program.

http://the-amazing.us/uruklink/trade/english/efood.htm
http://the-amazing.us/uruklink/trade/english/emonyarriv.htm

Those are *received* goods according to Iraqi numbers.

Rob
-- 
Rob Kaper     | "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little
[email protected] | temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
www.capsi.com | - Benjamin Franklin, Historical Review of Pennsylvania, 1759

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