DATE=5/14/99
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-43413
TITLE=SANCTIONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION
BYLINE= ED WARNER
DATELINE= WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  WHILE BOMBING SERBIA, THE UNITED STATES IS MAINTAINING 
ITS MILITARY PRESSURE ON IRAQ -- AND THE ECONOMIC SANCTIONS THAT 
ARE CAUSING FAR MORE DAMAGE THERE THAN BOMBS.  THE EFFECT OF THE 
SANCTIONS AGAINST IRAQ IS THE FOCUS OF AN ARTICLE IN "FOREIGN 
AFFAIRS" MAGAZINE THAT CLAIMS OVER THE YEARS, SANCTIONS HAVE 
KILLED MANY MORE PEOPLE THAN MUCH-FEARED WEAPONS OF MASS 
DESTRUCTION.  THE AUTHORS SAY SANCTIONS ARE THE REAL WEAPON OF 
MASS DESTRUCTION.  V-O-A'S ED WARNER SUMMARIZES THE ARTICLE WITH 
SOME ADDITIONAL COMMENTS.

TEXT:  IN TERMS OF CREATING HARDSHIP, THE ECONOMIC SANCTIONS ON 
IRAQ HAVE BEEN PARTICULARLY EFFECTIVE.  THE COUNTRY IS HIGHLY 
DEPENDENT ON OIL EXPORTS, WHICH HAVE EASILY BEEN BLOCKED.  WITH 
REVENUES SLASHED, THE COUNTRY HAS  NOT  BEEN ABLE TO IMPORT 
ADEQUATE FOOD AND MEDICAL SUPPLIES, LEADING -- SAY VARIOUS UNITED
NATIONS AGENCIES -- TO HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DEATHS, WITH 
SMALL CHILDREN ESPECIALLY VULNERABLE. 

BUT AFTER NINE YEARS, SANCTIONS HAVE STILL  NOT  ACHIEVED THEIR  
OBJECTIVE, NOTES AN ARTICLE IN "FOREIGN AFFAIRS," A JOURNAL 
REFLECTING THE VIEWS OF PROMINENT SCHOLARS AND POLICY MAKERS.  
SADDAM HUSSEIN REMAINS IN POWER, WITH  NO  CURRENT OVERSIGHT OF 
HIS WEAPONRY.

SO IT IS TIME TO RECONSIDER THESE SANCTIONS, SAY AUTHORS JOHN 
MUELLER, PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF 
ROCHESTER; AND HIS SON KARL MUELLER, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AT THE 
SCHOOL OF ADVANCED AIR POWER STUDIES. THE MUELLERS SAY SANCTIONS 
ARE THE WEAPONS OF THE STRONG, USED TOO CASUALLY AGAINST THE WEAK
-- THE TRUE WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION.

THE AUTHORS WRITE THAT SANCTIONS HAVE CAUSED FAR MORE DEATHS OVER
TIME THAN THE COMBINED USE OF NUCLEAR, BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL 
WEAPONS IN THIS CENTURY'S TWO WORLD WARS.  WHILE NUCLEAR WEAPONS 
CAN KILL MASSES OF PEOPLE, THE MUELLERS SAY, CHEMICAL AND 
BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS ARE VERY DIFFICULT TO DELIVER ON A MASS BASIS,
AND THEIR DANGER IS MUCH EXAGGERATED.  

JOHN MUELLER SAYS HE IS PUZZLED BY THE SEEMING INDIFFERENCE OF 
AMERICANS TO THE IMPACT OF SANCTIONS ON IRAQ.  AMERICANS ARE VERY
SENSITIVE ABOUT THEIR OWN CASUALTIES, HE NOTES, AND RATHER 
CALLOUS ABOUT OTHERS: 

                       /// MUELLER ACT ///

         THERE TENDS TO BE SOMETHING LESS THAN TOTAL SYMPATHY FOR
         FOREIGN LIVES IN MANY RESPECTS, BUT I THINK THE MAIN 
         REASON IS THAT THE POLICY IS DESIGNED FOR A GOAL THAT 
         MOST AMERICANS SEE AS DESIRABLE:  NAMELY, TO KEEP SADDAM
         HUSSEIN AT LEAST UNDER CONTROL, AND HOPEFULLY TO GET HIM
         OUT OF OFFICE.  BUT THE PROCESS OF DEALING WITH THIS, OF
         COURSE, IS CAUSING THE ENORMOUS NUMBER OF DEATHS THERE.

                         /// END ACT ///

THE MUELLERS SAY VITAL IMPORTS ARE DENIED IRAQ, ON THE GROUNDS 
THEY COULD CONTRIBUTE TO WEAPONS BUILDING.  THE AUTHORS URGE 
LIFTING THE RESTRICTIONS ON SUCH VITAL MATERIALS AS SYRINGES, 
CHLORINE TO DISINFECT WATER AND PLASTIC BAGS USED FOR BLOOD 
TRANSFUSIONS.  THEY SAY THE SANCTIONS AGAINST IRAQ SHOULD BE 
REVISED, TO BAN ONLY ITEMS CLEARLY INTENDED FOR WEAPONS USE. 

THIS KIND OF ATTACK ON SANCTIONS IS MISPLACED, ACCORDING TO 
SENATOR JESSE HELMS, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS
COMMITTEE.  MR. HELMS SAYS SANCTIONS MAY  NOT  HAVE OVERTHROWN 
SADDAM HUSSEIN, BUT THEY HAVE KEPT HIM FROM THREATENING THE WORLD
WITH HIS WEAPONS.  "TAKE AWAY SANCTIONS," HE WRITES IN (AN 
EARLIER ISSUE OF) "FOREIGN AFFAIRS," "AND HOW CAN THE UNITED 
STATES DEAL WITH TERRORISTS, PROLIFERATORS AND GENOCIDAL 
DICTATORS?  OUR OPTIONS WOULD BE EMPTY TALK, OR SENDING IN THE 
MARINES."

JOHN MEARSHEIMER, PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AT THE 
UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO, SAYS SENDING IN THE MARINES MIGHT BE MORE 
MERCIFUL: 

                     /// MEARSHEIMER ACT ///

         THE SANCTIONS ARE AN ESPECIALLY DEADLY WEAPON, BECAUSE 
         THEY ARE PREDICATED ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT YOU CAN GET 
         ANOTHER STATE TO CHANGE ITS BEHAVIOR BY INFLICTING 
         MASSIVE PUNISHMENT ON ITS CIVILIAN POPULATION.  
         SANCTIONS ARE DESIGNED TO KILL LARGE NUMBERS OF 
         CIVILIANS.

                         /// END ACT ///

PROFESSOR MEARSHEIMER SAYS DEADLY WEAPONS MUST SOMETIMES BE USED,
BUT ONLY IF THEY CAN ACCOMPLISH A CLEAR PURPOSE WITHIN A 
REASONABLE TIME.   (SIGNED)

NEB/EW/WTW


14-May-99 4:47 PM EDT (2047 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.