Can't the US just buy the oil from Iraq and the hell with France and Russia and UN?

[Lancer]

They're just using the UN sanctions as leverage to force Iraq to accept contracts signed by Saddam...or something like that.

Anyone know exactly what the SOBs are up to by refusing to lift sanctions?

[Urban Ranger]

So, from whom will the US buy the oil?

[gsmoove23]

For one, they're putting emphasis back on WMD which we can be sure Bush does not want, at least not until he finds some. It might also be further arm-twisting to get UNSCOM involved again and greater UN influence in general. Oh, and they also want oil contracts, which is fine, give em some, I think it should be on our top priority to show we didn't invade the country for the plum oil contracts, especially since WMDs are not turning up.

[Shi Huangdi]

"Anyone know exactly what the SOBs are up to by refusing to lift sanctions?"

Trying to gain political leverage in determining Iraq's future. We can simply ignore the sanctions though and encourage other nations to do so as well. If France doesn't want Iraqi oil, their loss.

[Urban Ranger]

There is no Iraqi government. Who sells the oil? Who gets the money? There isn't an Iraqi diplomat at the UN right now.

Don't forget, even the Saudis object to lifting of the sanctions until there is a new Iraqi government.

[GePap]

Why should they? Two conditions were alwaysd given for the sanctions to be dropped: Iraq had to meet its commitments to Kuwait (return stuff and people, pay reperations) and disarmement. Neither have happened. The sanctions say IRAQ, not SADDAM. All those materials the US and UK said were the reason for war; until they are all accounted for, or documents and evidence given about their possible destruction, or whether they never existed in the first place then Iraq can not be said to have disarmed and the standard the US and UK themselves always stated was the one to be met for the ropping of sanctions has NOT BEEN MET.

As for the thread title: no, the US can not. It would be ilegal and thus legal actions and sanctions could be brought against anyone buying or selling Iraqi oil outside of the Oil for Food program.

[Sava]

Duplicate thread?

[gsmoove23]

Trying to gain political leverage in determining Iraq's future. We can simply ignore the sanctions though and encourage other nations to do so as well.

Sure, ignore SC resolutions even though it was SC resolutions that supposedly validate our war on Iraq. Good call!

[GePap]

I love these guys! They think going into a state and destroying its government and then sorting everything out is supposed to happen iinstantaneously!

Newsflash....violent transitions of government are invariably messy. If you are not prepared to deal with the problems, don't do it in the first place. otherwise, grow up and deal wih the consequences of your actions.

[chequita guevara]

They are trying to demand the rule of international law. Only an act by the UNSC can lift sanctions legally. If the US can declare an end to sanctions by fiat, then what is the point of the UNSC? I would argue the US has already broken the UNSC, but most of the rest of the world considers it very important.

[Sava]

The US defied the UN to punish Iraq defying the UN...

Anyone else see something wrong with this?

[GePap]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
They are trying to demand the rule of international law. Only an act by the UNSC can lift sanctions legally. If the US can declare an end to sanctions by fiat, then what is the point of the UNSC? I would argue the US has already broken the UNSC, but most of the rest of the world considers it very important.

Private companies found to be selling and transporting illegal Iraqi oil could face legal penalties in all sorts of states outside of the US. Just because of that major US oil companies would not be eager to get their hands on Iraqi oil, if it meant legal nightmares for them in other states. That would make the US government the one selling Iraqi oil on a market unsure about buying it, probalby making the US government also the only interested buyer. And that would create one giant political firestorm.

You guys want to keep the French and germans out of Iraq? Why the hell do you think then they would not act to stick it to you and make your job more difficult and dangerous? As i said earlier, grow up kiddies.

[Adam Smith]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
They are trying to demand the rule of international law. Only an act by the UNSC can lift sanctions legally. If the US can declare an end to sanctions by fiat, then what is the point of the UNSC? I would argue the US has already broken the UNSC, but most of the rest of the world considers it very important.

Right. France and Russia have been trying to get the sanctions lifted for years on the grounds that they are harming the people of Iraq. If either one of them gave a rat's ass about the people of Iraq they could introduce a resolution and have the sanctions lifted tomorrow. So now they say lifting the sanctions would mean the UN is not enforcing existing resolutions. As if they cared one whit about that when Iraq was asked to disarm. This is hypocracy of the highest order.

[Shi Huangdi]

"There is no Iraqi government. Who sells the oil? Who gets the money? There isn't an Iraqi diplomat at the UN right now."

Tricky question. Perhaps the best way to do this is use the value of the extracted oil to first pay oil workers, then use profits to buy food/medicine for the Iraqi people?

"Don't forget, even the Saudis object to lifting of the sanctions until there is a new Iraqi government."

Of course. An end to sanctions would push oil prices down, which would be for the Saudis.

"As for the thread title: no, the US can not. It would be ilegal and thus legal actions and sanctions could be brought against anyone buying or selling Iraqi oil outside of the Oil for Food program."



Right, like they are going to place sanctions against the US. We can go right ahead here and prove the worthlessness of international law.

"The sanctions say IRAQ, not SADDAM"

Except there is no Iraqi government to have WMDs, so the Iraqi are incapacitated in that respect. And whatever the sanctions say, we know what the purpose of them are, and right now they are meaningless and accomplishing nothing.

"Newsflash....violent transitions of government are invariably messy. If you are not prepared to deal with the problems, don't do it in the first place. otherwise, grow up and deal wih the consequences of your actions."

We are dealing with the problems. One way to deal with the problem of rebuilding Iraq is a swift and immediate end to the sanctions.

"They are trying to demand the rule of international law. Only an act by the UNSC can lift sanctions legally. If the US can declare an end to sanctions by fiat, then what is the point of the UNSC? I would argue the US has already broken the UNSC, but most of the rest of the world considers it very important."

Then by their actions they are undermining the UNSC. Insisting on a UNSC resolution to end sanctions would be fine, and in fact the USA was preparing a resolution that would do that. By opposing a UNSC resolution. it puts the USA in a situation where it would have to violate international law again if it wants to trade with Iraq.

Of course, I would be fine just fine with telling the UN to shove it. I don't think the UN is a positive influence, and I would like to see their influence undermined, and I would be just happy to see international law be proved worthless. Maybe if we defy the UN here, other nations will start defying the UN more openly too and follow our precedent.

However, that doesn't mean I want France and Russia to continue their UN harming actions. Keeping up these Sanctions would be a moral wrong and they should be ended now, so Iraq can trade with the entire world, including France and Russia.

[gsmoove23]

With the Food For Oil program still in place and responsible leadership in Baghdad this is hardly a problem and if the US and Britain cared about the Iraqi people a lick more then France, Germany and Russia or vice versa I'll eat my shoe.