They include an embargo on Iraqi oil and limits on its nuclear, chemical and biological weapons programs. Support for the sanctions has diminished among many of Iraq's neighbors and former trading partners, some of whom are beginning to defy the restrictions. Only Britain is firmly with us on these sorts of operations and the robust enforcement of sanctions. It's going to be a big challenge to figure out what to do with the Iraq policy. It was in response to Iraqi attempts to shoot down those allied patrols that U.S. and British planes struck targets outside Baghdad on Friday.
Gulf War allies Saudi Arabia and Kuwait supported the raids and have backed the sanctions.
But Egypt and Syria have recently concluded free trade agreements with Baghdad. In addition, U.S. allies, including France and Turkey, were critical of the raids. Iraq expelled U.N. weapons inspectors in 1998, prompting four days of U.S. and British air raids. Iraq appealed to the United Nations to condemn the raids Saturday. It has also tried to turn attention toward the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with Hussein threatening to raise up to 100,000 volunteers to fight alongside the Palestinians against Israel.