Re: Query: International Law, Economics, And Civil War

[Rui Correia <r_correia@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Nothing has ever stopped the US from trading with both sides!!! Probably the
US's only honest upholding of such tenuous concepts as free trade and
democratic freedom

US militarily backed UNITA in Angola while firmly entrenching itself in the
oil-producing regions;
US backed Somalia and sold weapons to Ethiopia (or other way round) in the
80s

Perhaps the embargo on Cuba might have been lifted had there been another
side to trade with!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


-----Original Message-----
From: PEN-L list [mailto:PEN-L@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Leigh Meyers
Sent: 27 November 2006 23:32
To: PEN-L@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [PEN-L] Query: International Law, Economics, And Civil War

Today, NBC News Corporate HQ decided the Iraq fiasco is now approved
to be called a civil war by their news services.

The side we trade with, and the side we don't... Not that we were
trading with the insurgency when it was considered external, but now
that the schism is considered internal, where are the two sides? Who
backs them financially?

The U.S. and western interests are backing one (perhaps changable,
coup-able) side.

Who's on the other side?

The country that may never be named on [pen-l], and their kissin' cousin
Syria?

Leigh