WEASEL ALERT - UN "OIL-FOR-FOOLS" SCAM - Audits show rampant Bilking

[CADsortaGUY]

Originally posted by: SuperTool

Originally posted by: CADkindaGUY

Originally posted by: SuperTool
This attempt to undermine the UN is counterproductive to US national security, since we are going to need their help in Iraq sooner or later.
Neocons don't think we should ask UN for help, so they are burning bridges while they can. Neocons would rather fail without the UN than succeed with it.
They went into Iraq without UN backing, it blew up in their face, and now they are vainly lashing out at the UN because they don't like hearing "I told you so"

or maybe it's libbies and/or "internationalists" who have egg on their face because this corruption came to light. Their vaunted UN was in bed with Saddam? Say it isn't so joe...and hand me that broom...

CkG

You see lint in other's eye, but miss a log in yours.
At the end of the day, you got to ask yourself, do we need UN's help in Iraq, or do we want to have that burden all to ourselves?

Wrong. It's the other way around

No, that isn't the question that needs to be asked about Iraq. But one that would be better than what you ask is: Will having the UN in Iraq help at the end of the day? The UN tucked tail and ran with one car bomb. Will they run again if they came back?
Anyway - I'm not really opposed to the UN "helping" in Iraq - but they have no place contolling our troops. If they wish to help - good, but I don't see them chomping at the bit to do so. Also, I think the Iraqi people have seen how much the UN cares about Iraq - TYVM.

CkG

 

[CADsortaGUY]

Update on "progress":

UPI version: U.N. oil-for-food panel to 1st query U.N.

The AP version: U.N. investigates oil-for-food corruption

CkG

 

[SuperTool]

The UN is not going to send troops to serve under the neocons, you can forget that. But hey, if you want us to have the Iraq mess all to ourselves, I am sure the UN won't stand in your way.

 

[EXman]

Originally posted by: SuperTool
The UN is not going to send troops to serve under the neocons, you can forget that. But hey, if you want us to have the Iraq mess all to ourselves, I am sure the UN won't stand in your way.

It's because they are pussies they have been pulling out like the Spainish and the UN when their base got bombed cause they hate the UN so much. So much that they get IED'ed alot more than our troops.

 

[burnedout]

From the MEMRI News Ticker:

DIPLOMATIC SOURCES CONFIRM THE EXISTENCE OF 150 RECORDINGS OF SADDAM'S CONFESSIONS WHICH INCLUDE INFORMATION ON BRIBES PAID TO HEADS OF STATE AND POLITICAL LEADERS IN ARAB AND FOREIGN STATES. (AL-MU'TAMAR, IRAQ, 5/20/04)

Interesting, if true. Stay tuned.

 

[CADsortaGUY]

Now a paper war to track Saddam's profits

Just more info on the forgotten issue.

CkG

 

[CADsortaGUY]

Unfinished business

CkG

 

[GrGr]

UN Sanctions Against Iraq Only Serve US Ambition

Irish Times
Friday August 11, 2000

...

Ms Albright ordains that the UN sanctions must continue. This despite their failure and human cost, as determined by UNICEF to be the death of some 5,000 children under five years of age each month, and that excludes teenagers, adults and the elderly also dying unnecessarily under the UN embargo. One can only assume that she calls for its continuation to meet American ambitions for suppression of Iraq and control of the Middle East.

...

 

[CADsortaGUY]

Originally posted by: GrGr
UN Sanctions Against Iraq Only Serve US Ambition

Irish Times
Friday August 11, 2000

...

Ms Albright ordains that the UN sanctions must continue. This despite their failure and human cost, as determined by UNICEF to be the death of some 5,000 children under five years of age each month, and that excludes teenagers, adults and the elderly also dying unnecessarily under the UN embargo. One can only assume that she calls for its continuation to meet American ambitions for suppression of Iraq and control of the Middle East.

...

I don't think Albright was in on the oil-for-fools gig. I could be wrong though...

CkG

 

[GrGr]

Now you know.

More info:

"The US and UK governments always made it clear that they would block any lifting or serious reforming of sanctions as long as Hussein remained in power. After more than twelve years of sanctions had passed, the US and the UK made war on Iraq again in March, 2003, sweeping away Hussein's government. Soon after, Washington called for and obtained the lifting of sanctions, a step that gave the US occupation authority full control over Iraq's oil sales and oil industry.

Link

 

[CADsortaGUY]

Lockboxes, Iraqi Loot and a Trail to the Fed


Still not going to go away...

CkG

 

[CADsortaGUY]

UN staff did not speak out when Saddam refused to buy high protein foods recommended by UN experts, or spent oil-for-food millions on sports stadiums, or broadcasting equipment for his propaganda machine.

Not going away...

CkG

 

[CADsortaGUY]

Oil-for-fools Probe Looks at U.N. Staff

tick tock tick tock....

CkG

 

[CADsortaGUY]

U.N. oil-for-food panel set for inquiry

The inquiry is headed up by former U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker.

"Preliminary investigation is under way in priority areas," the Independent Inquiry Committee said in a news release. "These concern the allegations of corruption and mal-administration within the United Nations, its relationships with certain contractors and the performance of the contractors themselves."

CkG

 

[CADsortaGUY]

Senate Panel Investigating Oil-For-Food

"We're going to follow the money," said the subcommittee chairman, Minnesota Republican Norm Coleman. "It's clear that the regime of Saddam Hussein profited. We want to find out who else benefited. How was it able to occur?"

CkG

 

[burnedout]

More updates. William Fielder, a former Army intel officer writes:

[...]

High UN officials are implicated in the extensive plot to skim over $10 billion from funds that were supposedly for humanitarian aid. While the UN was legally getting $1billion in fees up front from the program, apologists for Saddam were telling the public that it was US/UN sanctions that kept humanitarian aid from reaching the Iraqi people.

[...]

Meanwhile, Claudia Rosett says:

As a rule, Saddam's partners-in-corruption were not eager to file official complaints, having nothing to gain from informing on themselves. Nor was the United Nations very inquisitive, despite rumors about corruption from the program's early days. When several oil-for-food contractors brought Iraqi kickback demands to the attention of the program's executive director, Benon V. Sevan, in 2000 ? as the Secretariat finally disclosed to the Financial Times in 2004 ? he effectively buried the issue at that time by telling informants to leave him alone and go file official complaints with their country missions.

But in the case of this particular bribe, matters had already gone too far for a brush-off.

The informant was a Russian businessman named Gazi Luguev, president of a Swiss-based trading company, Lakia S.A.R.L, which was authorized to buy Iraqi oil from Saddam under the program. Luguev was upset ? not because Saddam's regime had asked him for a bribe ? but because, by his own account, he had paid the bribe to no avail. He wanted his company's money back.

and last, but not least, William Safire tells us "'This was the biggest cash cow in the history of the world' says one of the insiders familiar with the United Nations oil-for-food scandal."

 

[piasabird]

We need a new head of the UN who is willing to get rid of the cronies who use it to get rich off of bribes and kick-backs. Koffee ahnans son was making money off of Iraq's Oil-for-Food program so he must be the first to go! How is the UN going to investigate the man at the top???

 

[burnedout]

Iraq Official Heading Oil-For-Fools Probe Killed

Coincidence?

 

[burnedout]

From the MEMRI news ticker:

THE SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE IRAQI MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS SAID HIS COUNTRY WILL SOON RELEASE TO THE IRAQI PRESS DOCUMENTS REVEALING THE NAMES OF COUNTRIES AND INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE INVOLVED IN THE 'OIL FOR FOOD' SCANDAL. (AL-SABAH AL-JADID, IRAQ, 7/6/04)

Damned sovereignty.

 

[syzygy]

here is a link that summarizes a number of important news stories on this topic:

compendium of important oil-for-food scandal reports, including stories written by claudia rosett

claudia rosett has written magnificently detailed investigative reports. the link above includes the
commentary magazine piece that explains the design and operations of the program.

i can't believe how much say saddam had in selecting who would benefit from his oil largess and
how the u.n. adminsitrators allowed these chosen beneficiaries to receive oil contracts. the u.n.
were screening these names for legitimacy. yet look at who they allowed through.

here is the al-mada list of beneficiaries. the list contains 270 names of individuals, corporations,
and political organizations from around the globe and how much oil they received. people
and companies selected by saddam and approved by u.n. admin include the following:

-the ukrainian socialist party
-the ukrainian communist party
-the socialist party of yugoslavia
-the companies of the russian communist party
-the palestinian liberation organization
-8th of octber movement (brazil) - former guerrilla group - maoist-leninist-marxist
-mujahideen khalq (u.s. state dep't listed terrorist org. - maoist-leninist)
-abu al abbas - palestinian terrorist, founder of the plf, murdered leon klinghoffer

. . . among others.

full al-mada list - 270 names

judging from this list, the u.n. was abetting saddam's campaign to reward political cronies who
came to his aid and feed the war chests of some of the world's most radical political organizations.

 

[xxxxxJohnGaltxxxxx]

Originally posted by: syzygyfull al-mada list - 270 names

judging from this list, the u.n. was abetting saddam's campaign to reward political cronies who
came to his aid and feed the war chests of some of the world's most radical political organizations.

:shocked:gasp:say it isn't so.

 

[piasabird]

If the USA is donating your money to the UN you should be aware of what kind or an organization it is. We should treat it like any other charity. Why not demand to know what they are doing with our money?

The Oil-For-Food program turned out to be a giant slush fund for European Countries and Coffee Ahnans Son who worked for it. Seems half of Europe was on the Take from the Killer Sadam. Every time I hear more about this supposed UN Program, I wonder why so many liberal minded people seem to think we have to have the UN Approval to do anything.

I consider the UN to be our enemy, not our friend!

 

[CADsortaGUY]

U.S. and U.N. officials have concluded that Iraq profited illegally from the Oil-for-Food program by requiring companies to deposit illegal payoffs into secret government bank accounts in exchange for the opportunity to purchase discounted Iraqi oil or to sell humanitarian goods to the government.

CkG

 

[burnedout]

Nice find, CAD. Thanks.

 

[CADsortaGUY]

U.S. intelligence officials and congressional investigators said last night that the "oil-for-insurgency link" has been recently unearthed in the numerous probes now under way into the giant U.N. humanitarian program, in which Saddam is believed to have pocketed $10.1 billion through oil smuggling and kickbacks from suppliers.

U.S. intelligence officials believe a portion of the funds in these hidden accounts ? possibly millions? is now being used to fund the Ba'athist guerrillas responsible for much of the postwar violence against coalition troops, sources said.

Possible update

CkG