U.S. urges U.N. to lift Iraq economic sanctions

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ST. LOUIS, April 16 — The White House on Wednesday called on the United Nations to lift economic sanctions on Iraq.
       The sanctions prohibit countries from buying Iraqi oil or selling goods to Iraq other than through the U.N. oil-for-food program.

'Now the Iraqi people are liberated, the United Nations should lift the economic sanctions on Iraq,'' White House spokesman Scott McClellan told reporters traveling with President George W. Bush to St. Louis.
       McClellan said lifting the sanctions would facilitate the restoration of ''normal trading relationship as soon as possible.''

Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.

Reply 1 - Posted by: tigtog, 4/16/2003 2:03:33 PM Is there a French veto threatened on this one?

Reply 2 - Posted by: Jr Sample @ BR549, 4/16/2003 2:09:09 PM Considering that half of the permanent members of the UN security council have been violating the sanctions, it should be a moot point.

Reply 3 - Posted by: cowboynerd, 4/16/2003 2:13:31 PM I have a feeling that the Axis of Weasels will fight this and demand that all transactions go through the UN. They will get slapped down in grand style if they do.

Reply 4 - Posted by: stlou, 4/16/2003 2:19:36 PM Glad to see you back here, #3.

Reply 5 - Posted by: JustinThyme, 4/16/2003 2:26:58 PM With Saddam gone, no longer a need for the Oil for Food program. It also gets the U.N.'s sticky fingers off the neck of the Iraqi people.

Reply 6 - Posted by: 1940s guy, 4/16/2003 2:31:07 PM The UN won't do it because they get about 2.5% commission on the Iraqi oil, and no accounting.

Reply 7 - Posted by: devman, 4/16/2003 2:40:25 PM Not likely to happen..just more business for US companies..wait till the US announces it will ignore the UN sanctions...

Reply 8 - Posted by: BettyCrocked29, 4/16/2003 2:48:43 PM #7 I hope that's exactly what happens. It's fun to watch the fur fly.

Reply 9 - Posted by: Strike3, 4/16/2003 3:05:52 PM Unilateral rebuilding, I love it. I can't wait to hear what "vital" role that GWB has in mind for the UN.

Reply 10 - Posted by: Ida Lil, 4/16/2003 3:11:01 PM Lift the sanctions or face coalition declarations that nulify the UN Charter. Face the added declaration the the only legal role for the UN is passing out humanitarian goods under strict supervision to prevent theft and blackmarket operations.

Reply 11 - Posted by: convert, 4/16/2003 3:23:36 PM More brilliant strategery...... Love watching the UN get hoisted by its own petard......

Reply 12 - Posted by: Double Dog Dare, 4/16/2003 3:31:48 PM I heard that General Tommy Franks, himself, can lift the sanctions by simply going to the interim government in place and signing a declaration that all sanctions are null and void. He is the supreme commander of that region and has the authority to grant that decree.

Reply 13 - Posted by: Currach, 4/16/2003 4:35:55 PM Syria had its own private oil supply line, now cut off, from Iraq. Seems the UN sanctions were selectively applied, as with everything else with this irrelevant waste of time and effort.

Reply 14 - Posted by: solanjie, 4/16/2003 4:44:15 PM One can't think of "France" without thinking "boycott". O'Reilly of FOXNEWS was one of the first to call for such a boycott. Then a few days later, he ran a segment on American Sponsorship of AlJazeera saying he was "going to see about this!" Since FOX had run Allegra commercials all that day, a French product, I sent him a pithy mail asking him to "see about FOX" while he is at it. It seemed to have done some good since I only saw one more French commercial..... Until two days ago. The Allegra commercials are back. Is the boycott off now the war is over? It certainly isn't for me. I mailed FOX, telling them this, but the Allegra commercials are still running. I guess they think I won't boycott them because they're the only game in town. :/

Reply 15 - Posted by: foont, 4/16/2003 4:49:00 PM I suspect that the UN will try anything and everything it can to gets its mitts on Iraq's oil. They may even actually enforce the sanctions (for a change) rather than lift them because they will declare any govt. that emerges "illegimate" because it will be a "U.S. puppet". As a body the UN has acted more like an enemy than a friend in this Iraq business and there are indications that this will continue.

Reply 16 - Posted by: disklxik, 4/16/2003 5:18:07 PM #14, let Allegra advertise all it wants to... It helps FOX... and you don't have to buy Allegra

Reply 17 - Posted by: solanjie, 4/16/2003 5:49:45 PM #16 It also helps Allegra sell their product. FOX can easily find another sponsor to fill those time slots.

Reply 18 - Posted by: Condor, 4/16/2003 6:08:21 PM Huh? ''Our'' Ldotter Allegra is advertising on Fox? Wow, we know someone famous. ~just kidding~ I'm still feeling the effects of the sedative I got about 45 minutes ago at the Hospital for my 1st spinal epidural shot.

Reply 19 - Posted by: shilohsharps, 4/16/2003 6:20:26 PM Oh this is has the makings of an outstanding cat fight! And more ignominy piled on the heads of UN Weenies.... This could be delicious....

Reply 20 - Posted by: Cato_the_elder, 4/16/2003 6:56:03 PM

Reply 21 - Posted by: Patriot Forever, 4/16/2003 9:37:00 PM As the sanctions clearly no longer apply, this should be a simple matter for the UN; however, one should not assume that logic will persuade the French to allow this to pass without conditions designed to assure them a key role, e.g. some control of the oil. The U.S. had better be prepared to announce it will not be a party to unwise sanctions which punish the innocent and then act accordingly to assist Iraq's recovery.

Reply 22 - Posted by: lagunatic, 4/16/2003 11:37:52 PM #3 welcome back! We've missed you! This $%&& doesn't matter like the comraderie here does! We've got GWB in charge!

Reply 23 - Posted by: DepuTJones, 4/17/2003 12:44:35 AM ROFLMAO.. I would love to see Ch'Iraq and Village Idiot-pin stroke out if we slam them again by ignoring U.N. Sanctions while they froth at the mouth.. I wonder what further spew Ch'Iraq would utter forth. I would be content about life if that happened. I HOPE THEY VETO it.. ROFL USA USA USA

Reply 24 - Posted by: The Road Apple, 4/17/2003 1:48:03 AM Shoot, just ignore the sanctions and start pumping and shipping the oil. There are plenty of customers out in the real world. Besides, what is the non, nein, nyet, eh? crowd and Kofi going to do about it? Stamp their little feet, perhaps? Or, maybe send in the Fighting Ubangis 1st Platoon of Nigeria with their baby blue helmets to force us to stop?