Tenchustu Re..Only starting in 2002, and only because "stricter sanctions" was a counterproposal to using military force in Iraq. Even in 2000, France and Russia were arguing for lighter sanctions, even lifting them, because of their ineffectiveness except in making the people of Iraq suffer.
Agreed. However that solution ran directly counter to what the arab nations in the region generally voiced in public, and what OBL,Ramsey Clark and a lot of the Human rights groups wanted; plus playing the devils advocate here, Germany, France and Russia all knew that strengthening the sanctions was a non-starter. They knew why the US couldn't seriously consider stronger sanctions as a solution, thats why they proposed them. So they could strengthen their hand in the middle east, and gain stature in the UN; without worrying that their proposals would ever get adopted. I never once heard any one of them offering to patrol the no fly zones, so the sanctions could be maintained, and ease anti US tensions in the region. If they were the friends they claim to be, France and Germany could have enforced the no fly zones, and taken the heat off of the US. Why didn't we hear one peep out of them for that? Now I should say that Russia offered to fly some overflights for the UN, however, enforcing the no fly zone wasn't offered. |
