6/17/2010

Embargoes and Blockades used as a Method of Warfare

I'm reminded of all the talk in the past week about the U.S.'s longest war is going on in Afghanistan. That would be 7 years now. Did somebody forget about the start of the embargo of Iraq in 1990. I would venture a guess that this would be the longest war so far-- like 20 years. And that one isn't exactly over. If it was I haven't heard about it. Of course these things aren't necessarily announced any more..

In 1990, in arguably some of the most chilling lines written in recent history, Gary Clyde Hufbauer, et al., wrote, regarding embargoes, in an advisory document for the George H.W. Bush Administration: ": ... We present our short list of 'do's and don'ts' for the architects of a sanctions policy designed to change the politics of the target country ... (3) Do pick on the weak and helpless ...(5) Do impose the maximum cost on your target ..." (1) On Hiroshima Day 1990, the most comprehensive embargo ever imposed by the UN., was imposed on Iraq.

Embargoes and Blockades used as a Method of Warfare

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