To Americans...

[Occhidiangela]

"The trade sanctions that completely curtailed normal Iraqi oil commerce was reduced, at the behest of the UN with full American agreement, to ensure that the embargo, imposed 6 August 1990, would not cause inordinate suffering in the population. Of course, Saddam and his government has done what it can to finesse that, with the result being that this agreed lessening of the embargo has not necessarily been much help."

Not sure what exactly you are saying here, but I take it as an acknowledgement that there was no oil embargo by the USA, Canada or UK, after 1991, and that your previous statement was not correct.

OK, let's try this slowly. The trade embargo was imposed UPON IRAQ as a mutlinational/UN measure, punishment, for

1. the invasion of Kuwait
2. continued failure of Iraq gov't to live up to cease fire agreement.

Complying with that UN embargo has been a matter of policy of many governments since 1990, however, France and Russia, in support of their own interests, have been trying to get the trade embargo eased, the which was imposed by the UN security council and initially supported.

Now, before you comment on this again, get a clue as to what you are talking about. Your assertion that there has been any recent 'oil embargo by Iraq versus anyone' is a crock. Iraq's government cannot sell anywhere near its potential share to the international oil market expressly due to the embargo/blockade that has been ongoing since 1990.

Like I said, do your homework. It's just a click away.

Edit: add on. Here is a hint. Start here.

UN SC Resolution 660


The language in the decisions part, sub para three, shows an resolve for a complete trade embargo with Iraq on the part of all member nations. Technically, as soon as hostilities commenced on 17 January 1991, that embargo became 'a blockade' since a state of belligerence became current, and it returned to 'embargo' once cease fire was put in place and 'belligerence' had ceased. Blockade is in fact one endorsed measure of UN collective action as sanction aganist states who transgress. The problem is, who enforces it? The member nations who bother to show up. So, since 1991, that has mostly been the US, Brit, and Canadian forces, though I am sure others have contributed, and IIRC, there are Spanish ships in the IMSO in the Red Sea and there were at one point French flagged vessels in the Persian Gulf supporting the trade embargo.

What you understand as the oil for food program was the result of a decision to allow food and medical aid, in exchange for oil, as an EXCEPTION to the general trade embargo. Resolutions 661 and 687, as I recall, were the framework/policy guidance upon which that is grounded.

And you might want to note that in the 15 Aug 1991 Resolution 707, the Security Council affirmed that the Government of Iraq was in breach, as a treaty bound signatory, of the 1968 Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty. Last I heard, that condition of breach has not been lifted.

Sorry I can't cut and paste the PDF excerpts, looks like the UN has posted copy protection with their version of Adobe, or mine is 'Adobe Light.' :o