The Los Angeles Times has a thorough investigative report on how Iraq violated UN sanctions to acquire conventional military hardware — with the significant help of Syrian company linked to the ruling family. Go check it out.
It’s not shocking that Russian companies participated in the sanctions-busting — look at this quote:
“Russia’s foreign minister called the grounds for imposing the sanctions farfetched back then,” said Leonid B. Roshal, deputy director of KBP Tula, in an interview in Moscow. “I was never taught these diplomatic niceties, so I was much more straightforward and said, ‘The dog may bark, but the caravan will proceed.’ “
What is mildly shocking — from someone who knows a thing or two about economic sanctions — is that companies from stalwart U.S. allies (Poland and South Korea) were also complicit in the sanctions-busting.
Read the whole thing — yes, even if you need to register (posted by Daniel Drezner).
The Dish 