tejek,
re:Was the United States Iraq's principle supplier of arms or advanced production technology? Certainly not. Those honors must go to France and Germany. Was the American contribution to Saddam Hussein's military build-up significant? Absolutely, in financial terms, in terms of the technology actually supplied, and for the political impact this had in emboldening the Iraqi regime.
From January 1985 through August 1990 the Department of Commerce approved 771 license applications valued at $1.5 billion. The following statistics are drawn from an analysis of 474 of these licenses, worth $1,272,466,525.
Long range policy has a way of taking a back seat to market forces over time. Somewhat like the UN's resolutions to disarm Iraq are now trending toward what's the hurry, inspections are working, don't disrupt the economic situation in Europe any more that it already is -give it time for everyone to forget about the problem.
Speaking for myself, I want this over soon. I can't imagine inspections working and taking less than a couple of years. Not sure I want to see years of market uncertainty, I'm hoping the war goes ahead, Saddam is killed, deposed or arrested for crimes against humanity. Then the cloud of doubt (regarding Iraq) can be lifted over the market and we can worry about Al Qaeda again. |
