Wrong, Grab . . there are, de facto, restrictions of medical and food purchases (every transaction has to be "approved" and some of the decisions are - remarkable, shall we say). There are also limits on the oil Iraq can sell to purchase those goods, but since she cannot obtain spares for her oil extraction equipment she hasn't always been able to reach those limits. And do give me the moral or even legal basis on which Israel is allowed to develop nuclear capability but Iraq is not . .

Yes, McGrath has correctly interpreted my "liberal if you leave out politics"; you might have added "take the wife out for a beer" (I AM talking about the Arabs here). Political freedom is rare in the Arab world; most (? - I acknowledge my sample, and, say, John Pilger's, are relatively small) prefer things as they are to the prospect of Islamic fundamentalism.

And troll, without reference I can't remember whether the Bah'ists are Sunni or Shia - but whichever they are, my point was that they are in the minority throughout Iraq, including Baghdadl. The attacks on the Southern Iraqis aren't based on the religious division; the peoples of that area have (I'm told) long been the object of denigration (in the we we English have denigrated the Irish); that's the basis on which Sadam has sought to "justify" his attacks on them. Also - the reason why the issue of a Kurdish homeland is a relatively recent one is that in the past there was virtually no attempt by governments to control them, and they were free to move freely throughout the area of their homeland. Probably the issue of stronger controlling instincts from central governments doesn't entirely stem from the western carve-up of the area, I grant . . . Interesting that you rate the plight of the Kurds as being merely "unfortunate" . . .

Also, while on the subject of the no-fly zones . . let's note that there have been a number of incidents of the airmen attacking non-military targets . . . whether from bordom, for target practice or by mistake is not much consolation for those killed and wounded in the attacks (who are, of course, the people we claim to be seeking to protect . . )

G. e wasn't an issue of a