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Senseless
Economic Sanctions
19
December 1999
Des Moines Register
"Finally! A presidential candidate has talked sense about the economic
sanctions we keep visiting on our enemies."
Toward
a More Moral Foreign Policy
16 December 1999
Reform Party Presidential Candidate Pat Buchanan, in a foreign policy
speech on unilateral economic sanctions at the Center for Strategic
and International Studies, said: "Looking over the record of U.S. sanctions
against rogue states, it seems that they fail us by virtually every
measure. Sanctions impose suffering not on dictators, but on their oppressed
people; they antagonize allies and undermine our leadership; they build
up deposits of resentment and hatred against us among Arab, Islamic
and Asian people; they deny our businessmen and farmers access to markets
our rivals rush to capture; and they fail either to disarm or dislodge
the targeted regime."
U.S. Cuba
Policy Doesn't Work
14 December 1999
Northwest
Florida Daily News
"The real problem here is this nation's failed foreign policy. After
40 years of economic sanctions, it has become painfully obvious that
U.S. policy toward Cuba doesn't work. It's time America's leaders realize
that only through free trade and open borders can the forces of freedom
defeat the evils of tyranny."
Sanctions
Will Not Halt Chinese Nuclear Proliferation
19 November 1999
Phillip C. Saunders and Evan S. Medeiros assert in today's LA Times
that the imposition of sanctions on China because of weapons proliferation
would be inimical to US security interests: "The Clinton administration
should admit that China transferred the missiles to Pakistan in the
early 1990s, but it should decline to impose sanctions because they
would not advance U.S. nonproliferation objectives. We do not mean to
suggest that the issue of nonproliferation is unimportant. Rather, the
issue is so important that policymakers must concentrate on policies
that work ... Sanctions are one tool, but in this case, mechanical imposition
of sanctions will at best be ineffective and at worst counter-productive."
Washington
Times Calls Sanctions 'Opiate of Congress"
18 November, 1999
Donald L. Losman, in a Washington Times op-ed, writes:
"[Sanctions] have become the opiate of Congress and the presidency.
As with other drugs, however, the good feelings do not last long and
we eventually awaken to ugly realities usually made worse by our sanctions
dalliances."
The Washington
Post says Economic Sanctions have Backfired
14 October, 1999
The Washington Post quotes senior US policymakers commenting on the
failure of sanctions to influence Pakistan: "'The decade of ... sanctions
has steadily reduced our influence, both in terms of having officers
trained in the United States and in terms of confidence and trust in
the United States by the Pakistani people,' a senior administartion
official said." ... "'I think the United States should have been far
more engaged during the past 10 years, and if we had been, then we would
have been in a far better position today than we are,' said Sen. Sam
Brownback
(R-Kan.)."
US
Senate Joint Economic Committee released a report entitled "Twelve Myths
of International Trade."
06 October, 1999
The US Senate Joint Economic Committee, chaired by Florida Senator Connie
Mack, recently released a report entitled "Twelve Myths of International
Trade." The report discusses common myths on topics such as the trade
deficit and import restrictions.
Knoxville News-Sentinel
criticizes the US's careless use of unilateral economic sanctions
30 September, 1999
The Knoxville News
The Knoxville News-Sentinel criticizes the US's careless use of unilateral
economic sanctions: "It would be different if unilateral economic sanctions
worked, but they don't. And, with the United States looking at a $250
billion trade deficit, anything that expedites rather than impedes exports
is in the national interest."
Cuba
stance stuns conference
20 September, 1999
Miami Herald
During a press conference at the office of Rep. Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL),
a former Vietnam POW interred in a Cuban prison camp stunned the participants
by stating that the best way to topple communism in today's Cuba is
to establish relations with Fidel Castro.
Journal of Commerce
Applauds Administration Decision on Exemptions
5 May 1999
Journal of Commerce
On Wednesday, May 5, the Journal of Commerce wrote in an editorial,"The
Clinton administration's decision to exempt commercial sales of food,
medicine and medical supplies from unilateral trade sanctions is a positive
development on two counts. First, the decision was a welcome action
in and of itself. Whether viewed in terms of humanitarian concern or
political efficiency, using food and medical goods as a weapon is a
sorry proposition. It doesn't achieve its goals. It hurts the wrong
people. And it makes the United States look like the villain -- with
justification. Second, the move is a step toward a more realistic view
of unilateral trade sanctions."
States
urged to end threats to Europe insurers
24 May 1999
Journal of Commerce
On
Monday, May 24, 1998, the Journal of Commerce wrote, "The Clinton administration
is asking states to end sanctions threats against European insurers,
citing progress made at a recent meeting on Holocaust--era insurance
policies in London....Insurance commissioners in several states are
losing patience with an international commission set up to settle claims
under policies that belonged to Holocaust victims."
Lott Now Backs Bill to
Stem Tide of Unilateral Economic Sanctions
25 March 1999
Journal of Commerce, Michael Lelyveld
The campaign to limit unilateral economic sanctions staged a surprising
revival Wednesday, as supporters re-introduced a reform measure with the
backing of Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott. The rebirth of the legislation
sponsored by Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., marks a turnaround for U.S. exporters,
who have been fighting to restrain the growth of unilateral sanctions
for the past year.
Food Sanctions Are Bad
Policy, So Just Lift Them
18 March 1999
International Herald Tribune, Stanley A. Weiss
The campaign to limit unilateral economic sanctions staged a surprising
revival Wednesday, as supporters re-introduced a reform measure with the
backing of Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott. The rebirth of the legislation
sponsored by Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., marks a turnaround for U.S. exporters,
who have been fighting to restrain the growth of unilateral sanctions
for the past year.
Lugar, Et Al to Reintroduce Sanctions Bill
08 March 1999
Washington Trade Daily
The Washington Trade Daily wrote on Monday, March 8, "Sen. Richard Lugar,
Chuck Hagel (R-NE) and Robert J. Kerrey (D-NE) will jointly propose
legislation by the end of the month that will write guidelines for Congress
and the Administration on the imposition of unilateral economic sanctions."
French
Defy U.S. and Join Iranian Oil Plan
02 March 1999
New York Times
The New York Times reports that a consortium of French, Italian and
Iranian oil companies have signed a 10 year, $998 million contract to
develop a giant Iranian oil field. These companies are expecting a Presidential
waiver of US unilateral sanctions, similiar to one granted to France's
Total in 1997. This waiver from the US would allow foreign companies
to take advantage of business opportunities in Iran while keeping US
companies out, ceding US jobs and profits to our foreign competitors.
Sanctions Reform Effort Revived
22 February 1999
Congress Daily
On Monday, February 22, Congress Daily wrote that, "Leading legislators
are getting ready to renew efforts to make sure that U.S. companies
and workers do not end up getting punished more than errant states when
unilateral trade sanctions are imposed."
Lugar pushes anti-sanctions trade bill
19 February 1999
Delta Farm Press
The Chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee lost little time getting
one of his favorite long-time proposals into the new 106th Congress'
legislative hopper box.
US could soften Iranian hostility to Israel
18 February 1999
Christian Science Monitor
Henry Precht, formerly in charge of the State Department's Iran desk,
writes in the February 18th Christian Science Monitor that the best
method for progress in US-Iranian relations is to increase US engagement
and ease sanctions. "Rather than seek a "roadmap" to resume official
relations, we should work for stronger unofficial relations - business
and cultural - by progressively easing sanctions. Strengthen Mr. Khatami's
middle-class support. Let Americans bargain for carpets and pistachios.
Welcome Iranian students to our universities."
Hagel, Dodd Reintroduce Bill To End Food, Medicine Sanctions
12 February 1999
Inside U.S. Trade
Inside U.S. Trade reports on a number of new sanctions reform bills
already introduced in the Senate and House this Congress.
Big business takes aim at Helms on sanctions; At issue is a sanctions
study by the National Association of Manufacturers that the senator
says is 'bogus.'
2 February 1999
Journal of Commerce, Michael S. Lelyveld
The business community responds to Senator Helms' allegations that the
facts of the current sanctions epidemic are "bogus." Read the full story
in today's Journal of Commerce.
U.S.-India Talks Gain and Could Lead to Easing of Sanctions
2 February 1999
New York Times, Celia W. Dugger
American officials said Monday that there was momentum now for a choreographed
sequence of steps that would lead to a substantial easing of economic
sanctions imposed on India after its nuclear tests in May, as well as
to India's signing of the test ban treaty, probably by mid-year.
Senators'
bill would exempt food, medicine from unilateral sanctions
2 February 1999
Journal of Commerce, Michael S. Lelyveld
The movement for common-sense sanctions reform has taken off early in
the 106th Congress with a bill to exempt food and medicine exports from
unilateral sanctions, and two more reform bills expected soon.
Russia threatens sanctions backlash
20 January 1999
Journal of Commerce, Michael S. Lelyveld
A U.S. threat to limit satellite launches from Russia because of its
links to Iran has sparked a furious response, including a warning that
Moscow will scuttle work on the joint U.S.-Russian space station. Anger
at U.S. sanctions boiled over at a Harvard University conference last
week, where Russia's leading aerospace official vowed to retaliate if
Washington limits commercial satellite business because of alleged leaks
of arms technology to Iran.
Russia Attacks New U.S. Sanctions
13 January 1999
Washington Post, Vladimir Isachenkov
Russia harshly denounced the United States on Wednesday for imposing
sanctions on three Russian scientific institutions accused of helping
Iran's weapons program, and warned that the move would hurt already
testy relations with Washington. "Any attempts to speak to us in the
language of sanctions and pressure are absolutely unacceptable," the
Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. "The U.S. action can only
complicate the Russian-American relations. Naturally, they will not
go unanswered."
Driving Against the Embargo
05 January 1999
Star-Ledger, Newark, NJ Juan Forero
"In Washington, more than 130 congressmen and 20 senators support bills
that would allow U.S. firms to sell food and medicine to Cuba. A bipartisan
commission to advise the President on U.S. policy toward Cuba, a measure
proposed by such conservative stalwarts as GOP Sen. John Warner and
two former secretaries of state, Henry Kissinger and Lawrence Eagleburger,
has a chance of being approved, many experts believe."
U.S. Ready to Ease Some Restrictions in Policy on Cuba
5 January 1999
New York Times, Tim Weiner
The United States is ready to let more people and more money flow to
Cuba, senior U.S. officials said Monday, while rejecting a fundamental
review of U.S. policy toward Cuba. The moves would let Cuban citizens
receive millions more dollars from American friends and family members,
allow them to buy more U.S. food and medicine, permit more direct flights
between the two countries, renew direct mail service from the United
States and let the Baltimore Orioles and the Cuban national baseball
team play ball in March, the officials said.
U.S.
Pays Pakistan for F-16s Withheld Over Nuclear Issue
1 January 1999
Washington Post, Thomas Lippman
"Seven months after incurring the wrath of Washington -- and stiff economic
sanctions -- by testing nuclear weapons, Pakistan received a welcome
holiday gift this week from the Clinton administration: payment of an
IOU worth $464 million, most of it in cash."
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