DATE=5/14/99
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-43413
TITLE=SANCTIONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION
BYLINE= ED WARNER
DATELINE= WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: WHILE BOMBING SERBIA, THE UNITED STATES IS MAINTAINING
ITS MILITARY PRESSURE ON IRAQ -- AND THE ECONOMIC SANCTIONS THAT
ARE CAUSING FAR MORE DAMAGE THERE THAN BOMBS. THE EFFECT OF THE
SANCTIONS AGAINST IRAQ IS THE FOCUS OF AN ARTICLE IN "FOREIGN
AFFAIRS" MAGAZINE THAT CLAIMS OVER THE YEARS, SANCTIONS HAVE
KILLED MANY MORE PEOPLE THAN MUCH-FEARED WEAPONS OF MASS
DESTRUCTION. THE AUTHORS SAY SANCTIONS ARE THE REAL WEAPON OF
MASS DESTRUCTION. V-O-A'S ED WARNER SUMMARIZES THE ARTICLE WITH
SOME ADDITIONAL COMMENTS.
TEXT: IN TERMS OF CREATING HARDSHIP, THE ECONOMIC SANCTIONS ON
IRAQ HAVE BEEN PARTICULARLY EFFECTIVE. THE COUNTRY IS HIGHLY
DEPENDENT ON OIL EXPORTS, WHICH HAVE EASILY BEEN BLOCKED. WITH
REVENUES SLASHED, THE COUNTRY HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO IMPORT
ADEQUATE FOOD AND MEDICAL SUPPLIES, LEADING -- SAY VARIOUS UNITED
NATIONS AGENCIES -- TO HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DEATHS, WITH
SMALL CHILDREN ESPECIALLY VULNERABLE.
BUT AFTER NINE YEARS, SANCTIONS HAVE STILL NOT ACHIEVED THEIR
OBJECTIVE, NOTES AN ARTICLE IN "FOREIGN AFFAIRS," A JOURNAL
REFLECTING THE VIEWS OF PROMINENT SCHOLARS AND POLICY MAKERS.
SADDAM HUSSEIN REMAINS IN POWER, WITH NO CURRENT OVERSIGHT OF
HIS WEAPONRY.
SO IT IS TIME TO RECONSIDER THESE SANCTIONS, SAY AUTHORS JOHN
MUELLER, PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
ROCHESTER; AND HIS SON KARL MUELLER, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AT THE
SCHOOL OF ADVANCED AIR POWER STUDIES. THE MUELLERS SAY SANCTIONS
ARE THE WEAPONS OF THE STRONG, USED TOO CASUALLY AGAINST THE WEAK
-- THE TRUE WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION.
THE AUTHORS WRITE THAT SANCTIONS HAVE CAUSED FAR MORE DEATHS OVER
TIME THAN THE COMBINED USE OF NUCLEAR, BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL
WEAPONS IN THIS CENTURY'S TWO WORLD WARS. WHILE NUCLEAR WEAPONS
CAN KILL MASSES OF PEOPLE, THE MUELLERS SAY, CHEMICAL AND
BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS ARE VERY DIFFICULT TO DELIVER ON A MASS BASIS,
AND THEIR DANGER IS MUCH EXAGGERATED.
JOHN MUELLER SAYS HE IS PUZZLED BY THE SEEMING INDIFFERENCE OF
AMERICANS TO THE IMPACT OF SANCTIONS ON IRAQ. AMERICANS ARE VERY
SENSITIVE ABOUT THEIR OWN CASUALTIES, HE NOTES, AND RATHER
CALLOUS ABOUT OTHERS:
/// MUELLER ACT ///
THERE TENDS TO BE SOMETHING LESS THAN TOTAL SYMPATHY FOR
FOREIGN LIVES IN MANY RESPECTS, BUT I THINK THE MAIN
REASON IS THAT THE POLICY IS DESIGNED FOR A GOAL THAT
MOST AMERICANS SEE AS DESIRABLE: NAMELY, TO KEEP SADDAM
HUSSEIN AT LEAST UNDER CONTROL, AND HOPEFULLY TO GET HIM
OUT OF OFFICE. BUT THE PROCESS OF DEALING WITH THIS, OF
COURSE, IS CAUSING THE ENORMOUS NUMBER OF DEATHS THERE.
/// END ACT ///
THE MUELLERS SAY VITAL IMPORTS ARE DENIED IRAQ, ON THE GROUNDS
THEY COULD CONTRIBUTE TO WEAPONS BUILDING. THE AUTHORS URGE
LIFTING THE RESTRICTIONS ON SUCH VITAL MATERIALS AS SYRINGES,
CHLORINE TO DISINFECT WATER AND PLASTIC BAGS USED FOR BLOOD
TRANSFUSIONS. THEY SAY THE SANCTIONS AGAINST IRAQ SHOULD BE
REVISED, TO BAN ONLY ITEMS CLEARLY INTENDED FOR WEAPONS USE.
THIS KIND OF ATTACK ON SANCTIONS IS MISPLACED, ACCORDING TO
SENATOR JESSE HELMS, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS
COMMITTEE. MR. HELMS SAYS SANCTIONS MAY NOT HAVE OVERTHROWN
SADDAM HUSSEIN, BUT THEY HAVE KEPT HIM FROM THREATENING THE WORLD
WITH HIS WEAPONS. "TAKE AWAY SANCTIONS," HE WRITES IN (AN
EARLIER ISSUE OF) "FOREIGN AFFAIRS," "AND HOW CAN THE UNITED
STATES DEAL WITH TERRORISTS, PROLIFERATORS AND GENOCIDAL
DICTATORS? OUR OPTIONS WOULD BE EMPTY TALK, OR SENDING IN THE
MARINES."
JOHN MEARSHEIMER, PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO, SAYS SENDING IN THE MARINES MIGHT BE MORE
MERCIFUL:
/// MEARSHEIMER ACT ///
THE SANCTIONS ARE AN ESPECIALLY DEADLY WEAPON, BECAUSE
THEY ARE PREDICATED ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT YOU CAN GET
ANOTHER STATE TO CHANGE ITS BEHAVIOR BY INFLICTING
MASSIVE PUNISHMENT ON ITS CIVILIAN POPULATION.
SANCTIONS ARE DESIGNED TO KILL LARGE NUMBERS OF
CIVILIANS.
/// END ACT ///
PROFESSOR MEARSHEIMER SAYS DEADLY WEAPONS MUST SOMETIMES BE USED,
BUT ONLY IF THEY CAN ACCOMPLISH A CLEAR PURPOSE WITHIN A
REASONABLE TIME. (SIGNED)
NEB/EW/WTW
14-May-99 4:47 PM EDT (2047 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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