From the Chicago Tribune this morning:
This seems so sensible. Don’t like what another country is doing, and don’t like that other countries are helping them, stop selling them something for a bit. AND just for kickers, actually set a time to reconsider the policy. WOW. Imagine if that was the way all nations reacted to policies, even violent policies like Isreals storming of Palestinian territories, they did not like. Can we hope this trend will spread?
Is that the same oil he’s suppose to be selling so his people can have medical care and food?
Marc
Marc, Marc, Marc… [sigh] Don’t you see? He’s doing it for them… 
Also, I thought this was interesting:
So it’s really just a symbolic gesture–he doesn’t have any hope of actually seeing it work. He must be feeling pressure to take a stand somehow, to act.
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The trend of Third World dictators making ultimately pointless symbolic gestures so as to consolidate their power? Um, no, I think the human race is pretty much “been there, done that” with that–too bad some folks are out of the loop…
And hopefully they will do the same thing to the US, will you be saying the same thing?
My greatest thanks to P.M. Sharon for continuing the war, it is the wisest choice that he has made. No bombings in a week. It’s almost normal again.
Kim
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I find it very interesting that a dictator can claim to do anything “in the name of the people.” Lee, I think you’re going to have to find someone else to admire besides Saddam.
Marc
I quit believing a damn thing Saddam Hussein had to say after his anti-religion ass made a big show about attending service at a mosque during the Gulf War. I’m sure the Koran has something to say about such a cynical and FALSE stunt.
Stocks Slump After IBM, Iraq Cast Pall
Wall Street isn’t acting as if this were a purely symbolic gesture. Maybe they worry that Saddam’s becoming a trend-setter in the mideast ?
If we weren’t particularly worried about the continued flow of crude oil from the Mid-East we wouldn’t have any interest in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to begin with, so while Iraq may not be able make good on the threat, you can bet that alot of reassurances are being sent to the other oil producers in the area.
With all the saber rattling about the US and UK going into Iraq I can see this really calming things down. The first gulf war had a little bit to do with oil didn’t it?
Oil prices are rising and all’s happy with the world.
At least Sadam & Bush Agree on something. 
Environmentalists all over America want to thank you, Saddam Hussein. We don’t need the Kyoto Protocol to stop global warming–all we need is for gasoline to go up to $2.00 a gallon, and watch the American people start scrambling for alternate fuel sources.
Oh, I’m sure Dubya will start proposing (again) drilling for oil in Alaska any day now…
(More fuel-efficient vehicles? Who needs those? Just drill drill drill, and then drill some more!)
This does raise one question as far as I am concerned. I would guess that the Iraqi embargo (is that the correct term in this case?) is aimed at the west and the US in particular.
What I want to know is where does Israel get its oil?
Arab oil was last used as a political weapon in 1973, resulting in a 4× increase in prices. In November of 2000, OPEC (of which Iraq is a member) pledged not to use oil as a political weapon. Maybe Saddam didn’t get the memo?
Did someone mention the Arctic National Widelife Reserve?
I’d be willing to listen to them if they had up’ed the CAFE numbers a few weeks ago.
[Gomer-Pyle]Sahprise, sahprise, sahprise.[/Gomer-Pyle]
I think this editorial cartoon sums it up best:
http://cagle.slate.msn.com/working/020408/matson.gif
(R. Matson, 4/8/2002)