Senate Votes Sanctions on Iraq

The Senate voted tough sanctions against Iraq today that would remain in effect until that nation stops using poisonous gas and ends its “campaign of genocide” against the Kurdish people.

The bill was approved by voice vote only 18 hours after it was introduced by Sen. Claiborne Pell (D-R.I.) chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee. It was sent to the House for further action. The legislation would cut off U.S. credits to Iraq, require the United States to vote against loans to Iraq by international financial institutions and ban the import of Iraqi oil. The United States imports only a “small” amount of oil from Iraq, Pell said.