|
France, Russia, China and the Arms Sale.
by M. McDonald
Part 1
The Truth behind the opposition to the Iraq war!
Many people around the world have supported France and Russia and to a lesser degree China for their stance at the UN preceding Operation Iraqi Freedom, as some folks have termed the current Gulf War. Some analysts have even suggested that this move may have propelled France into a position it held a long time ago. Russia was once a superpower, but with collapse of the Communistic system of government, that post is slowly being turned over to China. China tries its best to not involve itself in much of the conflicts around the world for fear that other countries might start questioning its human rights abuses.
The public claims by these three countries mentioned above was that the UN Inspections were working and that more time should have been given to the inspectors. There have been many resolutions passed which were intended to have Saddam Hussein rid his country of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD), condition of the cease fire both Saddam and President Bush I signed to end the first Gulf War. These resolutions meant that UN member countries were not to supply Iraq with any weapons or WMD producing agents. Any country, which provided Iraq with any of these arms, is in violation of the UN Resolutions, which they themselves supported and helped passed.
The simple reason for all these bravados at the UN can be summed up in two words, Economic Interests. France, Russia and China have been the largest arms suppliers to Iraq since 1972. Russia has been the biggest supplier of arms at 57% followed by France with 13%, China with 12%, Czechoslovakia with 7%, Poland with 4%, Brazil with 2%, Egypt with 1%, Romania with 1%, Denmark with 1%, Libya with 1% and the USA with 1%. This clearly illustrates the countries that have a greater interest in preventing a war in Iraq. They have far greater economic interests in Iraq and know that they could lose a lot more than arms sales, if the US invades and eventually rids Iraq of SMD (Saddam the Mass Destroyer). Iraq has been able to secure loans from its biggest arms suppliers, and these are in the billions of dollars.
Saddam Hussein has indubitably ruined Iraq. When he is gone, and he will be, he will leave behind mammoth debts that are estimated to be about 101.5 Billion USD. From the news reports of the ammunitions found in Iraq, we all know that the money was not spent on development nor was it spent for the benefit of the Iraqi people. It was spent on the Presidential Palaces, Weapons and ammunitions for the army-the illusive Republican Guard, and to support his cronies and bands of murderers, thugs and Baath Party enforcers.
With every passing day of this conflict, it appears more impossible for Saddam Hussein to repay his debts to his Creditors namely France, Russia and China. The main support for Iraqs regime came from Russia in the days of Leonid Brezhnev. However Mr. Brezhnev is long gone from this earth and is of little significance in the thick of things right now. In regards to France, Mr. Chirac has been Saddams biggest supporter for the last thirty years. Unlike Mr. Brezhnev, Mr. Chirac is alive and well and at the helm of HMS France.
France (Mr. Chirac) was the ones who sold Iraq its first Nuclear reactor and Mr. Hussein said at that time, this deal with France is the very first concrete step towards production of the Arab atomic bomb. Had the Israelis not had the foresight they did back then, the world would have been a much more dangerous place today.
In 2001 France was the largest exporter to Iraq with exports totaling 670.3 Million USD. So I find it a bit ironic that Mr. Chirac sold Saddam the Nuclear Reactor back in the 1970s and would then willing to help the UN rid him of WMD, knowing full well that Saddam owes France a lot of money for loans and Arms sales. Mr. Chirac knew that he had no choice but to display his Veto power at the UN, to protect Frances investments.
Part 2 to follow soon
Discuss this
article on our message board
|
