US Sanctions: Did They Kill Iraqi Children?

I have heard constantly from media sources (and honestly, from most on the left), inferring or outright declaring US imposed sanctions following the 1991 Iraq War caused the deaths of thousands of children in Iraq.

Here are the problems with the above statement. Firstly, a United Nations coalition liberated Kuwait and in 1991 the Security Council adopted Resolution 687, authorizing sanctions. Now, I realize the UN is a US created organization and the US holds enormous influence, but there are four other permanent members who could have vetoed. So they weren't US sanctions, they were UN sanctions and there is a profound difference.

Secondly, there have been very clear visual demonstrations of the opulence afforded to Iraq's former "president" (aka The Butcher of Baghdad). Palace after palace constructed, large jails and torture rooms. Saddam lived like the Babylonian king he believed himself to be, controlling his state with an iron fist while his people starved. So Iraq could have bought food, but the "president" built palaces. Oh, and he had to pay the guards, of course.

Thirdly, the complete misunderstanding of what was salient regarding the sanctions...

'Culture of inaction' at UN on Iraq sanctions: Volcker - AFP 10/18/2005

This is a mere 338-word article about Paul Volcker's probe into the "UN Oil-for-Food" program. In it Volcker states Saddam was able to accumulate roughly 12.8 BILLION dollars in kickbacks and illicit payments from illegal smuggling.

This program ran from 1996 to 2003. In 1991, two "high-ranking" French diplomats were representatives to the UN and remained until 1995. These two officials have now been arrested and accused of "influence-peddling" and "active corruption of foreign officials."

An ally corrupted the program intended to feed Iraq, allegedly. The same ally who led the charge against the 2003 invasion was involved in a UN scandle? I'm not saying the enitre French government was involved, but I find the connection curious. So a few French diplomats where becoming rich, the "president" was building palaces, and the children... well...

It astonishes me when the very people denouncing the opportunity provided by the fall of the "president" are blaming the suffering caused by the "president" and that most hallowed of institutions, the UN (the left's measuring stick for war), on the United States. I doubt Saddam was using his 12.8 billion on rice and wheat. I doubt the French were buying smuggled oil and putting bags of grain in with their payments. I doubt no one noticed all that oil moving...

All this corruption in the UN and the US is the reason sanctions starved Iraq's children? Hardly. Apparently some Americans have got all the news, but none of the facts.