Bush relaxes sanctions on Libya -- boon to U.S. oil firms

[Robbien]

Washington -- President Bush eased economic sanctions on Libya on Friday, rewarding Col. Moammar Khadafy for renouncing weapons of mass destruction and opening opportunities for American companies to do business in his nation.

The action had been anticipated for many weeks. But it was nonetheless dramatic, since it softened a hard-line policy that has been in place for years against a leader who was once a virtual enemy of the United States.

The easing of sanctions imposed in 1986 and 1996 means that oil imports from Libya can resume and that several American oil companies that have assets in Libya but have been barred from doing business there -- Marathon, ConocoPhillips, Amerada Hess and Occidental -- can do so once again.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2004/04/24/MNGD66AF9I1.DTL

[skooooo]

1. Too bad Cuba doesn't have oil...

I'd really like to visit Cuba someday...

[freetobegay]

2. Me too!

I live closer to Cuba than I do the Georgia State line, but have never seen it.

[hellboy]

3. Cuba should open up casinos there. That would be awesome.

[asjr]

4. I was there many, many moons ago and it is a

beautiful country. I suppose I am wrong politically, but to let U.S. citizens travel there would seem to be a good thing. Trade between the two countries would be of great benefit both culturally and monetarily. The mindset that we have to keep Castro at bay in order to punish him has outlasted common sense. Just my two cents.

[Benhurst]

5. You now have 4 cents, asjr, since

I'm adding my 2 cents to yours. :bounce:

[Moderator]

6. Duplicate, please discuss here

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=505976