I vividly recall handling dozens of high-tech, often military-related, exports to Iraq in the early 1980s. At that time, Iran was the bad guy; so the U.S. government was backing Iraq. The exporters were generally arms brokers and various trading companies dealing in defense items. These exporters all had impeccably approved and completed State Department licenses that followed the ITAR procedures and rulings to the letter. All signed, and sealed, by DoS officials.

Some six years later, in 1990, I recall thinking how many of the missile fire control systems that passed through my hands were now killing American soldiers. By that time, the Iraq-Iran had ended, and Iraq was now the bad guy. 

Confusing and vague, also, because politics and security concerns often conflict with the drive to close a sale and make a profit.

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Keywords: international trade, freight forwarding, denied-parties screening, export-import controls, U.S. export regulations, logistics services, logistics management