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Dear all A further note on the Khidir Hamza question. Although it is useful to know (and to be able to say. That's the problem) whether or not he is genuine, it shouldn't make any difference to the broad anti-sanctions argument. I tend to assume that President Hussein would like to develop weapons of dreadful potency. I assume this because, if any country or government needs such weapons it is surely Iraq (much more than Britain or even the US) living as it does under the perpetual threat of massive invasion. There is a contradiction in arguing that the persecution of Iraq can cease because the Iraqi government is powerless, when the powerlessness of the Iraqi government is a consequence of the persecution. In advocating the lifting of sanctions we have to face up to the possibility, indeed probability, that the Iraqi government will take advantage of the situation to strengthen whatever means it has at its disposal for defending itself. Either that or we have to support, in principle, whatever about the practical details, some variety of 'smart sanctions'. Yours Peter -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- This is a discussion list run by the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq For removal from list, email soc-casi-discuss-request@lists.cam.ac.uk CASI's website - www.casi.org.uk - includes an archive of all postings.