Some figures

France is only the fourth-largest buyer of Iraqi oil, purchasing 8 percent of the crude exported by that country. In 2001, our purchases fell by 30 percent compared with 2000 ($160 million). During this year’s first half, our purchases fell further by 41 % compared with last year’s same period. Iraq ranks ninth among the countries that supply oil to France.

4. U.S. economic interests in Iraq are not insignificant.
The United States ranks first in Iraqi oil purchase.

Between phase IV and phase XI, the U.S. share of Iraqi oil exports has oscillated between 70 and 40.9 percent, consistently ranking first.

In 2001, U.S. purchases of Iraqi oil represented 40.9 percent of that country’s oil exports, amounting to $5.8 billion and meeting more than 8 percent of America’s hydrocarbon needs.

In 2002, American imports of Iraqi crude fell considerably during the first half of the year, with American companies ending their orders in March.

By September 13, 2002, 1,418 American contracts were pending before the Sanctions Committee, amounting to $3.97 billion.

Recently, because of the internal crisis in Venezuela, the United States resumed large imports of iraqi oil : in December 2002, American purchases of Iraqi oil amounted to 56 % of Iraqi oil exports. Early January, The United States was importing twice as much Iraqi oil as the European Union.

5. Some statistics do not accurately reflect this reality.
UN statistics are drawn up on the basis of contract origins of the merchandise involved. Thus it is not uncommon for supposedly “French” exports to come from other countries, particularly in the oil sector.

And this has what, exactly, to do with selling weapons to Iraq in violation of multiple UN resolutions?

The US buys Iraqi oil in accordance to what the UN has declared. On a percentage basis, this is a fraction of our needs, so I suspect our "per capita" consumption of Iraqi oil is well below a lot of other countries.

Nice try Neil, but no cigar I'm afraid.

Oh come on Harm, how much oil do you think is too much. We'd get more easily and cheaper if we just came home and lifted the sanctions. But then Saddam would be loose, and free to get nukes and kill his neighbors. But thats your goal isn't it? If not, then why not go have some anti-Saddam rallies?

Why no cigar, Harm? Because you say so? I'd say the analysis is 100% correct. Instead of a snide comment, how about an actual refutation.

Buying OPEC oil, some of which comes from Iraq = UN sanctioned and completely legal

Seeling conventional/biologic/chemical weapons to Iraq = in defiance of UN resolutions and illegal by the "international law" you lot are always harping about.

So the inconsistency in my argument is where, exactly?

Some more figures, this from the energy information association.

https://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/ipsr/imports.html

Go to this site, and you can access energy statistics for anywhere in the world. If you look at France, you will see that in November of 2002, the imported 223,000 barrels/day from Iraq. If you look at the United States, you will see that they imported 380,000 barrels/day from Iraq.

The population of France = 60 million
The population of the US = 286 Million

The US averaged 506,000 barrels/day during the preceedig 12 months, while France averaged 87,000 barrels/day. Between December of 2001 and November of 2002, the French Iraqi imports increased by almost 400%, while the US import of Iraqi oil fell almost 300%.

So, the US has greatly curtailed its use of Iraqi oil, while the French demand has almost quadrupled. Tell me again which country needs to stop feeding the "Iraqi war machine". Tell me again which country has the most to lose if Iraq loses control of their oil fields?

So do a little bit of simple math, and get back to me on which country, as of November 2002, uses the most Iraqi oil on a per capita basis. Sure the US used to use a lot more oil, but we don't any more. And then explain to me what ANY of this has to do with anything. Your straw grasping is getting pretty frenetic these days.

And in the future, if you want to cut and paste loads of stuff in my comments section, at least leave us a link so we can go look at the source of the data for ourselves.