From: "Rosser Jr, John Barkley" <rosserjb-AT-jmu.edu>
Subject: France and Iraq
Date: Wed, 4 Sep 1996 02:37:34 -0400 ()


     There is more to the disdain by France of US actions 
in Iraq than mere legalities, which the French have never 
been known to respect when it has not been in their 
interests.  In 1991, Saddam was sitting on the world's 
second biggest pool of oil in Kuwait and was threatening 
the world's largest in Saudi Arabia.  Oil prices were 
soaring way beyond current jiggles, stock markets were 
crashing, general stagflation was threatening a la 1979-80. 
The French and a lot of others were eager to avoid this and 
were willing to sign on to Bush's venture.
     This time around no such threat seems imminent.  
Indeed, as has been noted, the opposite may be the case, 
namely that Clinton's actions by closing off transportation 
channels into Turkey may actually raise the price of oil, 
and have done so already.  
     Furthermore, France has in the past had lots of 
military trade deals with Iraq and would like to do so 
again.
     Finally it should be noted that Iraq was once ruled by 
the British.  However, according to the imperialist 
British-French Sykes-Picot Agreement of 1916, France was 
supposed to get the area in northern Iraq around Mosul 
along with Syria and Lebanon.  But British troops on the 
ground prevented them from doing so precisely so the Brits 
could get the oil in the area, the very area where the 
current events are transpiring.  A bit of French resentment 
over this long ago loss may also be playing a role here.
Barkley Rosser

-- 
Rosser Jr, John Barkley
rosserjb-AT-jmu.edu




     --- from list marxism-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---