AFF/ROGUE STATES/IRAQ

SANCTIONS ON IRAQ SHOULD BE LIFTED

BETTER TO CANCEL SANCTIONS AND PURSUE DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS AGAINST IRAQ

Henri J. Barkey, professor of international relations at Lehigh, University, January 28, 2001, Los Angeles Times SECTION: Opinion; Part M; Page 2; HEADLINE: THE WORLD / IRAQ; GETTING EVEN WITH SADDAM HUSSEIN //VT2002acsln

Suspending economic sanctions in favor of a joint-allied diplomatic offensive against Hussein is a win-win strategy for the U.S. What's to be lost, provided that the U.N. escrow account on oil sales remains untouched? Economic sanctions deprive ordinary Iraqis from conducting business freely with the rest of the world. In continuing to support them, the U.S., in effect, has collaborated with Hussein in imprisoning his people: flights in and out of Iraq are sanctioned. Given Hussein's paranoia, what better way is there to unhinge his regime than by encouraging as much contact as possible between Iraq's population and the outside world. The U.S. should encourage the large Iraqi expatriate community to serve as a catalyst for change, albeit slowly. In one sweeping move, the U.S. can deprive Hussein of his most cherished card against us: the suffering of the people.

IT IS A BETTER POLICY TO GIVE UP ON SANCTIONS AGAINST IRAQ

Robert A. Pape; teaches at the University of Chicago, February 24, 2001, The New York Times SECTION: Section A; Page 13; HEADLINE: Our Iraq Policy Is Not Working //VT2002acsln

Given these facts, shouldn't we try something else? American leverage is fast eroding. The United States should therefore stop pursuing the futile goals of weakening Mr. Hussein's rule and ridding Iraq of weapons of mass destruction. Instead, we must concentrate on keeping the coalition together. That means finding something we can all agree on, and that means maintaining American forces in the region to deter Iraqi aggression over the long haul. Maybe then, instead of conducting bombing that does little but barely maintain the status quo, we will have international support when, and if, a real crisis erupts that requires our immediate intervention.

LIFTING SANCTIONS WILL DO MORE TO UNDERMINE SADDAM HUSSEIN THAN KEEPING THEM

RICHARD FOSTER Milwaukee Journal Sentinel February 25, 2001 SECTION: CROSSROADS; Pg. 01J HEADLINE: Past time for a new policy to handle Iraq //VT2002acsln

Lifting the economic embargo would give Hussein a short-term public- relations victory; but it would also eliminate the black market and make ordinary Iraqis much less dependent on him and thus erode his power. It would also help ease the immense suffering that the embargo has placed on Iraqi citizens.

A more prosperous Iraq is much more likely to produce an economically powerful middle-class. And the economic power of a middle-class will produce a certain amount of political clout.

SANCTIONS HAVE FAILED AND IT IS TIME TO END THEM

JAMES R. HOLMES, doctoral candidate at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, January 16, 2001, The Boston Globe SECTION: OP-ED; Pg. A11 HEADLINE: LET'S FINALLY END THE GULF WAR //VT2002acsln

The lessons of the prolonged tussle with Saddam Hussein are, first, that economic sanctions cannot force a tyrant indifferent to the fate of his people to carry out the wishes of the international community and, second, that UN inspectors cannot locate all weapons components when the target nation's leaderhip wishes to conceal them.

It is time for America to face this reality. US forces stationed in the Persian Gulf region are more than adequate to deter or defeat a new Iraqi invasion of Kuwait or Saudi Arabia. The flow of oil will continue. Thus the gains achieved by American arms in 1991 are secure.

But the United States will never succeed in eliminating the Iraqi unconventional arsenal so long as Saddam Hussein remains in power. End the sanctions, President-elect Bush, and with them the war begun by your father.

ECONOMIC SANCTIONS POLICY AGAINST IRAQ ARE COUNTERPRODUCTIVE FOR THE USA

JACK KELLY February 25, 2001, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette SECTION: EDITORIAL, Pg. E-3 HEADLINE: THE MESSAGE OF THE BOMBS; BUSH SPOKE TO SADDAM IN THE LANGUAGE HE UNDERSTANDS //VT2002acsln

By continuing to support increasingly hollow economic sanctions against Iraq, and by enforcing the "no fly" zones, the United States is making enemies in the Muslim world. It is also losing friends in Western Europe, where only Britain continues to stand with us.

It is hard to imagine a more counterproductive policy. We are risking the lives of our pilots and spending billions of dollars only to become increasingly isolated in world opinion, while doing nothing meaningful to slow down Iraqi rearmament.

LIFTING SANCTIONS WILL NOT BENEFIT, BUT DAMAGE, SADDAM HUSSEIN

Judith S. Yaphe, Institute for National Strategic Studies, National Defense University, 2001 Winter The Washington Quarterly SECTION: CONTAINMENT'S LAST STAND; Vol. 24, No. 1; Pg. 125 HEADLINE: Iraq: The Exception to the Rule //VT2002acsln

Iraqis will benefit little from the lifting of sanctions. It would not mean overnight recovery for the country or its long-suffering people. Under the best of circumstances and highest of oil prices, it will take a long time to rebuild Iraq. Iraq will desperately need development assistance -- for water purification plants, sewage treatment facilities, and health care centers that are adequately staffed, supplied, and not controlled by the regime. The question is how can this be turned to Washington's advantage. If recognizing Saddam means more outside experts and observers get into Iraq to work on project aid and more Iraqis can leave Iraq, then it may be worth it.