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Tough on Iraq

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Letter to the Editor from James Rubin

Washington Post
February 28, 2000

I respectfully disagree with the headlines on a Feb. 25 front-page story: "U.S. Looks at Easing Sanctions on Iraq" and inside, "U.S. Studies Easing Curbs on Trade With Iraq." In December the U.N. Security Council passed Resolution 1284. A full 17 paragraphs in that document relate to improvement of the humanitarian programs run by the United Nations in Iraq--the "oil-for-food" program. Saddam Hussein is far from complying with international obligations, and thus sanctions will continue, a judgment endorsed by the Security Council when it passed the resolution.

It is right and responsible to ease the plight of the people of Iraq while using sanctions to deny money, weapons and dual-use technology to the regime in Baghdad. This is precisely what we are doing. This is smart policy, not easing sanctions. The United States is, and will remain, second to none in enforcing sanctions and exercising vigilance over the oil-for-food program.

JAMES P. RUBIN
Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs
U.S. Department of State

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