A chronology of sanctions on Iraq - 1990

August 2nd: SCR 660 condemns Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, calls for immediate withdrawal, and for negotiations between Iraq and Kuwait to begin. Passed by14 votes to none, with Yemen abstaining.

On the same day, acting under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act 1977, George Bush signs two executive orders that freeze all Iraqi and Kuwaiti governmental assets.

(This meant that Iraq could not pay it’s UN contributions, and allowed the US to insist Iraq be denied its’ voting rights. Iraq was virtually expelled from the General Assembly.

The US owed the UN $1.6 billion in unpaid dues at the time.)

In France, Decree 90-681 stipulates prior authorisation of the Minister of Economy for any transactions concerned with Iraq and Kuwait.

3^rd August: The Canadian Superintendent of Financial Institutions issues a direction to all banks not to act on behalf of, or with instruction from, any Kuwaiti Government agency. (This directive was rescinded after the passing of SCR 661.)

6^th August: SCR 661 passed by 13 votes to none, with Cuba and Yemen abstaining. Called for all to states to prevent import of any commodities originating in Iraq or Kuwait, the prohibition of any transfer of funds to the two countries, and the prohibition of the supply of all goods to two countries, except ‘….Supplies intended strictly for medical purposes, and, in humanitarian circumstances, foodstuffs...’

(Author Geoff Simons makes the point that given the Washington tendency to deny that sanctions have genocidal consequences, would the ‘….humanitarian circumstances…’ ever be officially recognised?)

On the same day the German Federal government froze all Kuwaiti accounts and deposits in he country as a means of preventing appropriation by the Iraqis.

Similar actions were taken by Italy, Switzerland, Japan and elsewhere.

7^th August: George Bush tells French Defence Minister Jean-Pierre Chevenement that he is determined to go to war.

9^th August: SCR 662 is passed unanimously, and declared the annexation of Kuwait as invalid.

On the same day Bush issues further executive orders to strengthen specific US sanctions in response to SCR 661.

13^th August: US Secretary of State James Baker states that the US is ready to "…interdict…" any Iraqi oil exports to enforce the UN sanctions. He refrains from using the word ‘blockade’, widely perceived as an act of war.

Jordan’s border and trade with Iraq essentially remains open. King Hussein comments: "How this resolution physically will be implemented is still under study."

(To enforce sanctions would mean certain devastation for the Jordanian economy and a highly increased level of unemployment. By the middle of August Iraq was otherwise almost totally isolated. The typical 5000 trucks a day passing from Turkey to Iraq was reduced to one or none. Reports stated that even medical supplies were denied permission to pass beyond the border. Contracts agreed, and supplies purchased by Iraq prior to SCR 661, totalling millions of dollars, were prohibited from entering the country.

James Baker had recently visited Ankara. Concessions for Turkish support of the embargo included arms deals, World bank loans, US ‘support’ for its’ occupation of Cyprus and its’ application to join the European Community. A World Bank credit of $1.4 billion was released despite being previously withheld on grounds that Turkey did not meet the correct criteria. 40 F-4 fighter-bombers, six years in suspension due to Greek objections, would now be made available.

Iraqi oil exports were blocked, tankers turned away from ports and pipeline stations, and food stocks were running out. Lack of agricultural irrigation spare parts led to the gradual salination of the soil in the river valleys of the Euphrates and Tigris.)

August 13^th: The White House states: "It appears far too early to consider any food stuffs as being in the humanitarian aid category."

It issues confirmation that food would be included in the ban.

UK Foreign Office Minister of State William Waldegrave states that Britain is taking steps to ensure "...the economic stranglehold does its’ work."

August 14^th: Bush is asked if US enforcement would include food and essentials. He replies: "Just watch. Everything…everything"

Other UN members, including France, Canada, Malaysia and the Soviet Union express strong opposition and reservation about the US ‘interdiction’ policy. Military enforcement of an embargo, a de facto ‘blockade’ and an act of war, would require the approval of the US Congress. UN Secretary General Perez de Cuellar states that only the UN "…through its’ Security Council resolutions can really decide about a blockade."

After Jordan declares it will observe UN sanctions, Bush promises Jordan compensation in the event of loss of trade, which Jordanian officials estimate as $500 million. In talks with King Hussein, Bush states that all goods except medicine should be blocked. Hussein suggests that food imports be allowed.

Reports emerge that Bush, without prior UN authority, has ordered US warships to fire with ‘minimum force’ on any vessels in the Gulf attempting to break sanctions. The pentagon had already established three ’…primary interdiction zones…’

16^th August: Cuellar comments that the US has gone too far. The Pentagon asks other Western navies to assist in the interdiction of Iraqi vessels.

A handful of Iraqi vessels defy US challenges, but most are turned away. US Secretary of Defence Dick Cheney emphasised that the American ‘…interdiction/interception operations…’ were only just beginning.

18^th August: SCR 664 is passed unanimously, and called for Iraq to respect its’ obligations under international law to provide for the safety and well being of third state nationals in the country.

21^st August: In response to Iraqi vessel defiance, UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher declares: "We would like to have the extra authority, I think, of the whole world through the UN resolution to enforce the embargo. It must be effective, it must therefore be enforced and we must have the means to enforce it."

Articles 46 and 47 of the UN Charter stipulate joint control of military action by the permanent members of the Security Council.

(China and the Soviet Union both indicate they would not accept US force unless under close UN supervision. China was particularly alarmed that the US might take control of the UN as had happened in the Korean War.)

25^th August: SCR 665 passed by 13 votes to none, with Cuba and Yemen abstaining. Called upon all states which are deploying maritime forces in the area to use: ‘…Such measures commensurate to the specific circumstances as may be necessary…’ to halt all shipping to and from Iraq. This sets a precedent that judgement to undertake military actions would be the sole responsibility of those commanding forces in the area. By the end of August US intelligence reports from Baghdad indicate that Saddam Hussein has ordered Iraqi vessels to be prepared to be boarded and inspected. The speculation is that this order was given to avoid an overt outbreak of hostilities. Cuellar states that he wishes to discuss "…all aspects of the problem…" with the Iraqis. The US acknowledges he has "…an appropriate role to play…" but will not tolerate any compromise on the basic issues.

Concern grows over the number of foreign nationals trapped in Iraq, and the diminishing food supply. The US states concern that any food shipped to Iraq may fall into the wrong hands. (Simons makes the point that this means the US feared that Iraqis might have something to eat.) Cuba and Yemen repeatedly argue that the UN should not starve civilians in order to eject Iraqi forces from Kuwait. Other observers cite that this policy is a breach of the Geneva Conventions.

1^st September: The Iraqi government introduces rationing, coupled with a system of price control. Limited supplies of foodstuffs looted from Kuwait supplement the ration. This contradicts the Western view that Saddam is content to watch his people starve.

(The Iraqi population now had a diet of 57% of the pre-crisis level, at less than 2000 calories a day. Vegetables were still available, but prices in the private sector were rocketing, and inflation was rising rapidly. The standard of living of the average civilian was plummeting.)

The Washington Institute for Near East Policy produces a report that states that despite sanction busting, looting and smuggling, Iraq will be able to mobilise approx. $2 billion at best, and only survive for a further 12 months. Yet the report concludes:

‘The basic point…..sanctions can not be counted on to produce a sure result.’

Iraqi television poses the question: "How can the UN present itself as a humanitarian organisation when it conspires to starve children?"

The US and Britain object to a Yemeni proposal that the UN Office of the Legal Counsel should be the judge of what constitutes ‘humanitarian circumstances’ as set forth in SCR 661.

7^th September: The US representative in the UN, backed by other Western members, blocks a request by Bulgaria to ship baby food to Iraq, on the grounds that this food might be consumed by adults.

10^th September: The US, Britain and France block an Indian request to send food to its’ nationals in Iraq. Similar Yugoslavian and Sri Lankan requests were also blocked on the grounds that the humanitarian need has not been verified. (Simons points out that the US even went as far as to order investigations into whether non-governmental charities and aid agencies were sending food through Jordan to Iraq.)

13^th September: SCR 666 is passed by 13 votes to 2. Cuba and Yemen vote against. Emphasised that foodstuffs may only be exported to Iraq in the case of ‘…urgent humanitarian need…’.

(The beaurocracy involved compelled the Secretary General to obtain information, produce recommendations for the Sanctions Committee who in turn would consider these and submit conclusions to the Security Council, and the Council would then decide if anything should be done. So successful was this policy of delay that the first findings to come before the Council arrived five months after the passing of SCR 666, and even then foodstuffs were not allowed into Iraq other than through UN approved channels. The resolution also had powers to decide whether NGO’s and independent aid agencies were ‘…appropriate…’ and required them to submit detailed applications to the Sanctions Committee who would decide whether they, and their list of supplies, were indeed ‘…appropriate…’. The practical effect of SCR 666 was that only 10,000 tons of grain was allowed into Iraq from August 1990 to April 1991. 10,000 tons represented Iraq’s daily import level prior to sanctions.

The US, previously prepared to wait years, even decades, for UN decisions affecting Israel and Indonesia to take effect, later became impatient with the sanctions regime against Iraq. The consensus was that sanctions would not lead to the eviction of Iraqi forces from Kuwait.)

16^th September: SCR 667 is passed unanimously. Reaffirmed all previous resolutions and condemned Iraq for aggressive acts perpetrated on foreign diplomatic premises in Kuwait and the abduction of foreign nationals present in those premises.

24^th September: SCR 669 passed by unanimous vote. Reaffirmed SCR 661 and entrusted the Sanctions Committee to examine requests for assistance under the provisions of Article 50 of the Charter of the UN.

25^th September: SCR 670 is passed by 14 votes to 1; Cuba voted against. Prohibited any aircraft to fly over or land in Iraq or Kuwait, other than those carrying approved humanitarian provisions.

29^th October: SCR 674 is passed by 13 votes; Cuba and Yemen abstained. Reaffirmed all previous resolutions, and reminded Iraq of its’ responsibility for reparations of any losses incurred by Kuwait and any third parties.

(‘Citizens for a Free Kuwait’ paid America’s largest public relations company, Hill and Knowlton, over $10 million to drum up support for military action.

Two days before the Security Council vote on authorising use of force, Kuwaiti civilians and non-UN diplomats were granted unprecedented access to the UN Security Council to present a series of testimonies, and videos produced by Hill and Knowlton. ‘Nayirah’, a 15 year old girl testified before the Congressional Human Rights caucus and recounted an entirely fabricated story of Iraqi soldiers removing Kuwaiti babies from incubators, stealing the incubators and leaving the babies to die. Bush repeated the story six times in one month. During the debate in the US Senate vote on authorising use of US force, the story was recounted seven times. ‘Nayirah’ was in fact the daughter of the Kuwaiti Ambassador to the US and Canada. Before war broke out, the Kuwaitis closed their account with Hill and Knowlton. In an interview one year after the war, a Hill and Knowlton employee stated that $10 million is about the same figure required to handle the PR for a presidential campaign.)

28^th November: SCR 677 is passed unanimously. Condemned Iraq’s attempt to alter the demographic composition of Kuwait.

29^th November: SCR 678 is passed by 12 votes to 2. Cuba and Yemen voted against, China abstained. 678 authorised ‘…all necessary means…’ to drive Iraqi forces from Kuwait if they failed to withdraw by January 15^th 1991. It additionally authorised member states to: ‘Restore international peace and security in the area.’

(Two days after the vote all US aid to Yemen was cancelled. 900, 000 Yemeni workers were later expelled from Saudi Arabia. Observers have since stated that with China’s abstention, the resolution was in fact invalid, as it required a unanimous vote from the five permanent members to pass.

CIA director William Webster had already testified before Congress that sanctions had reduced Iraqi exports by 97% and imports by 90%. Even General Colin Powell had stated that "…containment or strangulation was working…..leaving Iraq condemned, scorned and isolated as perhaps no country had been in modern history. There would come a point when sanctions would trigger some kind of response.")

By the end of the year, according to Iraqi / UNICEF figures, the death toll for children under 12 had reached 32,464.