What Was That Old Saying About History and Repeating and Stuff?
yoyogurl, over at the Pinko Commie Biznitch News Network (which, incidentally, is in contention for my favorite blog-name of the year), draws my attention to this story from the AP:
The Bush administration cleared the way Wednesday to sell arms to Iraq just as it does to other allies, reversing the ban in place for much of Saddam Hussein’s regime.
Bush made a presidential determination that the standard methods of engaging in munitions transfers with friendly nations are now appropriate in the case of Iraq and will promote democratic reforms, help achieve reconstruction and strengthen the Iraqi government.
The United States, Bush decided, will rely on the Foreign Assistance Act and the Arms Export Control Act in making Iraq eligible for arms sales on a case-by-case basis.
According to this Deutsche-Welle article, the EU has done the same thing:
The US and the European Union have lifted bans on exporting weapons to Iraq, freeing the way for the Iraqi government to buy equipment for the country’s new army. But European companies are unlikely to benefit.
According to the Financial Times Deutschland, US firms are expected to get most of the contracts as Washington pays for most of Iraq’s reconstruction.
The lifting of the embargo became possible after the UN Security Council recognized the new Iraqi government in a resolution on June 8.
The move ended severe economic sanctions against Baghdad, which were imposed 14 years ago. Under the trade embargo, the Iraqis were only allowed to export oil to buy food, medicines and other civilian goods through a special UN agency.
US President George W. Bush has issued an order stating that Iraq should be treated like other friendly states, allowing the government in Baghdad to order weapons and other military equipment.
Of course, it looks like the EU part of it is just window-dressing to make it look like the world is united behind US defense contractors’ righteous march to liberate the temporary Iraqi government from its money.
Did it occur to anyone in the Bush Administration that it might be a good idea to wait for things to stabilize over there, and for the Iraqi people to actually elect a government before we start selling the country arms? How many times does our government have to make the same mistake before they learn their lesson? I really am not a communist, but sometimes I think the greedy quest for corporate profit will lead to the death of us all.