The Bush regime lies when they claim sanctions won't hurt Iranian people

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Iran is 'Leaving Itself No Exit Points' On Nuclear Issue, Says U.S. Official


PRESS RELEASE - Washington, D.C., April 14, 2006 - U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns told the Voice of America (VOA) that Iran's refusal to suspend its uranium enrichment program will have consequences and "the Iranian government needs to reflect on the fact that it is leaving itself no exit points from this story and it is isolating itself."

Burns' remarks came during an exclusive interview that aired today on VOA's Persian language TV program Khabarha va Nazarha (News and Views). Burns, the U.S. State Department's third-ranking official, told VOA that Iran's continued nuclear work will mean Iran's government is "going to run into trouble and, I think unfortunately for the government of Iran, it is going to face sanctions in the future, not only by my own but by other countries."

"We very much hope that these sanctions will not be implemented bluntly in a way that would be damaging to the Iranian people, but it is going to be sanctions that will get the attention of the Iranian government and directed at the people in that government," Burns said.

http://voanews.com/english/About/2006-04-14-voa56.cfm


Sanctions against Iran won't do a thing to the leaders in Iran's government, but they will devastate average Iranians. That's the history of sanctions. The governments almost never feel the effects. What they will do is harden resistance to the U.S. in Iran and in the region, and could actually have a rallying effect in support of the present leadership there.

In the '80's, before the imposition of sanctions against Iraq, and before the war, Iraq boasted the region's best schools and hospitals, and enjoyed the smallest gap between the rich and poor of any of its neighbors. Also, Iraq's educated class ranked among the region's best.

Six weeks of intensive bombing reduced Iraq to what was described as a pre-industrial state. Unemployment soared and the black market flourished, resulting in a widening of the gap between the impoverished majority and those few who managed to cling to wealth.

Before sanctions were imposed, ninety percent of Iraq's income came from oil exports. Once sanctions restricted oil sales, lack of basic food and medicine soon reached catastrophic levels. We know the rest. Regime change didn't happen.

Why should we expect that sanctions against Iran will play out any differently?

[madrchsod]

1. there will be no sanctions against iran

china and others in the pipeline will make sure of that. empty threats by a government that is empty of ideas.