Those talks, originally scheduled for January, have now been delayed until February. The U.S. policy toward Iraq doesn't have a long-term future due to international concerns over the sanctions from countries like Russia and France and from U.S. political concerns over rising gasoline prices. Keeping Iraq's oil off the international market could affect gas prices and U.S. consumers aren't likely to be understanding, Pape said. Pape also said sanctions will continue to be used, even though optimism over the ability of sanctions to resolve situations has receded. He also cited the reluctance by the U.S. to use military power.
Economic sanctions are sort of the new American way of war.