Resolution: Iraq Sanctions, Committee 1 by Dr. Questad,
Delegate from France, 3/5/01
Articles: "Bush vs. Iraq: The Rematch" by Watson and Gutman
"Let's Get Read about Iraq" by Zakaria
Policy Statement:
Strong business connections are the best motivation for peace and prosperity.
France, believing that a stable global economic community of trade and commerce is the best antidote to international conflicts and unrest, does not support sanctions against Iraq. We align ourselves with the Russian Federation and China in supporting the Iraqi people, urging all member nations to vote for this resolution.
2 minute Speech:
The US has been "clinging to the carcass" of a sanctions policy that has "lost all effectiveness." As quoted in the Feb. 26th edition of Newsweek, "...economic sanctions have impoverished Iraq while doing nothing to dislodge Saddam Hussein" plus "Every report out of Iraq suggests that people there blame America and not Saddam for their plight."
France, along with the Russian Federation, China, Jordan and Turkey, is interested in resuming normal trade relations with Iraq.
There are 4 reasons that the sanctions on Iraq aren't working to destabilize the Iraqi government.
1. It's Poor Public Relations
Iraqis are blaming the US and UN, not Saddam, for their problems.2. Saddam is getting richer, not poorer.
Saddam and governmental officials have set up a black market, making wild profits, circumventing the Iraqi businesses who traditionally traded these items.3. There is little international support for the sanctions.
For almost ten years Iraq's traditional and innocent trading partners, specifically those dependent on Iraq's oil like Turkey, Syria and Jordan, have suffered unfairly from the sanctions.4. The UN weapons inspectors, since 1993, have found nothing.
So, recognizing these problems, France makes four suggestions: (Show display):
THE 4-POINT FRENCH PLAN
1. Penalize and restrict Hussein and his government, not Iraqi citizens.
2. Open trade and tourism with Iraq.
3. Charge the Iraqi Baath Party's top 100 leaders with war crimes, arresting them if they leave Iraq.
4. Stop UN inspections. If provoked, the UN Security Council will authorize a multi-national force to interfere with the development of any weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
Possible Questions for other delegates as they present their ps's and speeches:
Jordan: Isn't it true that Jordon has traditionally received bargain basement oil imports from Iraq and has therefore suffered unfairly during the Iraqi sanctions?
Turkey: Isn't it true that due to its proximity and related trade discounts, Iraq has been your traditional oil supplier and sanctions against it have unfairly affected your economic progress?
PA: Isn't it true that sanctions against Iraq are perhaps providing a dangerous slippery slope to UN authority because Saddam Hussein, rightly or wrongly, is being perceived as a hero to the Arab populations each time he refuses to obey UN mandates?
Notes for Group:
a. Special note for Gavin: Saddam is being seen as someone standing up to
America. His picture is being hung up in Palestinian homes as an inspiration
and possibly giving them inspiration to revolt against Israeli, American
and UN authority.
If I can get an extra minute donated by another country:
3 minute Speech:
The US has been "clinging to the carcass of a" sanctions policy
that has "lost all effectiveness." As quoted in the Feb. 26th
edition of Newsweek, "The economic sanctions have impoverished Iraq
while doing nothing to dislodge Saddam Hussein….Every report out of
Iraq suggests that people there blame America and not Saddam for their plight."
France, along with the Russian Federation, China, Jordan and Turkey, is
interested in resuming normal trade relations with Iraq.
There are 5 reasons that the sanctions on Iraq aren't working to destabilize the Iraqi government.
1. Poor Public Relations
Iraqis are blaming the US and UN, not Saddam, for their problems.
Saddam claims the US led UN sanctions are "starving his people"
and his people believe him. Western experts estimate that 100,000-500,000
children under 5 have died in the last 10 years due to poor economic and
medical conditions in Iraq. This has resulted in the Iraqi people hating
the US and UN for instigating the sanctions.
2. Saddam is getting richer, not poorer.
Under the sanctions, Saddam is allowed to sell oil with the provision that
he be permitted to spend the money earned on food and medicine. He has refused,
so the $13 billion earned has piled up in an escrow account administered
by the UN.
3. Smuggling and other illicit commerce by Saddam's government officers have circumvented normal commerce traffic by Iraqi citizens and created a wealthy Hussein-led government class.
4. There is little international support for the sanctions, as Iraq is an important oil contributor. For almost ten years Iraq's traditional and innocent trading partners have suffered economically from the sanctions.
5. The UN weapons inspectors, since 1993, have found nothing.
So, recognizing these problems that are coincidentally inherent in most sanction policies, France makes four suggestions: (Show display).
The Four-Point French Plan (Show display)
1. Center UN penalties and restrictions on Hussein and his government, not on his Iraqi citizens.
2. Welcome trade and tourism with Iraq.
3. Charge the Iraqi Baath Party's top 100 leaders with war crimes, arresting them if they leave Iraq.
4. Do not demand UN inspections, but announce that if provoked, the UN Security Council will authorize a multi-national force to interfere with the development of any weapons of mass destruction.