The Economic War on Iraq After the End of the Iraq-Kuwait War Under International Law and Organizations

Abstract

This paper is an analysis of the economic sanctions that were imposed on Iraq after the Iraq-Kuwait war as a part of the international law and the role of the international organiza- tions, especially the United Nations. The study explores the determination of whether these sanctions were mainly motivated by the invasion of Iraq of Kuwait or by larger geopolitical interests, in particular, that of the Western powers. Based on the analysis of UN Security Council resolutions and empirical evidence, this thesis claims that economic measures were one sort of economic warfare that was not limited to the mentioned goals of reestab- lishing the sovereignty of Kuwait. The research uses a mixed-method methodology, the use of qualitative and quantitative data of the secondary sources such as governmental reports, scholarly sources, and records. The results indicate that the sanctions had great humanitar- ian costs to the civilian population in Iraq, casting serious doubt regarding their illegality before the international humanitarian law. The study proves that whereas the sanctions were supposed to force Iraq to comply with the international norms, they disproportion- ately impacted vulnerable groups, especially children, and had an outcome of widespread economic decline. The research is relevant to the academic discussion of the effectiveness and ethical consequences of comprehensive economic sanctions as a tool of international policy since it provides critical information on the conflict between state sovereignty, hu- manitarian obligations, and international enforcement of the law.