Quote:
Originally posted by sycamore
How exactly are France and Russia doing business with Iraq? I didn't think anyone legally could, unless this is under the guise of "humanitarianism." (Not that I'm surprised, but still.)
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Virtually every neighbor of Saddam is doing business. In a book by a CIA agent active in Lebanon and N Iraq, even the Kurds do a lucritive business with Saddam and also attack him. Even worse, Kurds will go to war with each other rather than with Saddam over control of that Saddam trade. Much oil goes to the American ally Turkey from Iraq, but mostly through middle men - Kurds - Saddam's sworn enemy.
Jordan is a major trading port for Iraqi goods. Jordan is also a US ally. That long road from Iraq to Jordan is heavily traveled.
So how much trade is Iraq doing? They export enough oil that damage for years to Iraqi oil wells is expected to cause $40 per barrel oil - a 30 or 40% increase in world oil prices.