Did you support the trade embargo against South Africa? If so, why? Obviously, as with most such embargoes, most of the damage done would have fallen on the poor black majority, not on the leadership. How many leftists in general howling about the ineffectiveness and cruelty of the Iraq embargo fully supported the South African one?

I'm not all that convinced either that embargoes of civilian goods do that much good*. Besides, the anti-free-trade aspects rub me the wrong way. In addition, we have been far from consistent in this area. How the heck can we refuse to trade with communist Cuba, yet do major business with Red China? The answer is easy--nobody needs cigars that badly, but China makes pretty much every damn thing you see. Without China trade, Toys R Us and WalMart would have maybe six items on the shelves. Pragmatism again.

This article is also instructive, and despite its source at least mentions the Iraqi government role in the problem.

*Obviously, we are not talking about trade in weapons and strategic materials, which should have serious restrictions placed on them.