oil-for-food program in Iraq

[NUKE]

http://apnews.excite.com/article/20051027/D8DG535G3.html

More than 2,000 companies made about $1.8 billion in illicit payments to Saddam Hussein's government through extensive manipulation of the U.N. oil-for-food program in Iraq, according to key findings of a U.N.-backed investigation.

The investigators reported that companies and individuals from 66 countries paid illegal kickbacks through a variety of devices while those paying illegal oil surcharges came from, or were registered in, 40 countries. The names will be included in Thursday's report but were not in the key findings that were obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press.

It's a good thing the UN sanctions on Iraq were in place, otherwise Saddam would have been out of control.  

It's a good thing that the UN program was in place, otherwise the Iraqi's would have starved and Saddam would have been able to manipulate the system. At least now, Saddam and the UN don't really have a say in it.

[NUKE]

http://apnews.excite.com/article/20051027/D8DGL9CG0.html

Is anybody else following this? The UN released it's final report today. Here is a snipped version.

I don't see how anyone would trust the UN to run anything anymore. I wonder how many Iraqis died as these thieves padded their wallets.

I think the people responsible should all get life in prison.

UNITED NATIONS (AP) - Investigators of the U.N. oil-for-food program issued a final report Thursday that accused more than 2,200 U.S. and foreign companies, and prominent politicians, of colluding with Saddam Hussein's regime to bilk the operation of $1.8 billion.

The 623-page document was a scathing indictment that exposed the global scope of a scam that allegedly involved such name-brand companies as DaimlerChrysler and Siemens AG (SI), as well as a former French U.N. ambassador, a firebrand British politician and the president of Italy's Lombardi region.

It meticulously detailed how the $64 billion program became a cash cow for Saddam and more than half the companies participating in oil-for-food - at the expense of regular Iraqis suffering under tough U.N. sanctions. It blamed shoddy U.N. management and the world's most powerful nations for allowing the corruption to go on for years.

Most of the contracts went to Russian and French companies and individuals, who were rewarded for their governments' outspoken opposition to the sanctions. But the report found that even firms in countries supportive of the sanctions, such as the United States, found ways to manipulate the system illegally - sometimes by using Russian firms as middlemen.

well well well, it figures...

[Eagler]

to believe the UN is uselessly corrupt would give weight to Bushs acting without their approval in his invasion of Iraq, why would anyone want to ruin their sweet deal with the nutbag saddam?

the left here and in the media do not care to admit that so they stick their head in the sand whenever "oil for food" is heard

[GreenCloud]

typical. No one says anything..HUSH!!!!  UN is Wonderful...I like the UN soldiers who were raping...Lookn good!

[Sandman]

I'm fresh out of rat's asses.

[SOB]

The UN is pretty useless.  What's to argue?  That's not news.

[Masherbrum]

Say isn't so?!!!   No wonder Germany hated this all along.  DaimlerChrysler was getting kickbacks, Russia was getting oil, and selling RPG's and AK-47's, and France, well we know war-related articles won't be mentioned.

I said this months ago in a different thread.  The only ones pissed at the US for invading Iraq, are the ones who lost their GravyTrain.  

Karaya

[straffo]

Originally posted by Masherbrum
and France, well we know war-related articles won't be mentioned.

Indeed, even you fail to mention anything.

[Masherbrum]

Originally posted by straffo
Indeed, even you fail to mention anything.

How's this grab you?

"The report cited Banque Nationale de Paris, which held the escrow account for the $64 billion program and provided the letters of credit needed for the financing, saying it "was in a position to have firsthand knowledge" of what was going on but "did not recognize a particular responsibility to adequately inform the U.N."

In response, BNP said it operated through subsidiaries and affiliates that could not share customer information with each other, an argument the report described as "unpersuasive."

Again, France was not dabbling in war related matters.  I was telling the truth all along and you made me bring the PWN Stick.    

Karaya

[Krusher]

Originally posted by Masherbrum
Say isn't so?!!!   No wonder Germany hated this all along.  DaimlerChrysler was getting kickbacks, Russia was getting oil, and selling RPG's and AK-47's, and France, well we know war-related articles won't be mentioned.

I said this months ago in a different thread.  The only ones pissed at the US for invading Iraq, are the ones who lost their GravyTrain.  

Karaya

The three top bribe/kickback countries in this report are,
France,
Germany
Russia

The three top supporters of Saddam staying in power are
France
Germany
Russia

Throw the UN's own criminals into the mix and you can see the result.

[Masherbrum]

Originally posted by Krusher
The three top bribe/kickback countries in this report are,
France,
Germany
Russia

The three top supporters of Saddam staying in power are
France
Germany
Russia

Throw the UN's own criminals into the mix and you can see the result.

Amen!

Karaya

PS - The US should simply vacate the UN.  We don't need it anymore.

[T0J0]

So those who complain about the US invasion of iraq shall stand by and say nothing about the oil for food issue without ever considering that if the program had functioned as setup the whole war and invasion may have been avoided...
 
TJ

[Sandman]

Avoided?

You're funny.

[lazs2]

no.... you're funny.  in a brief incoherant kinda way.

lazs

[NUKE]

Originally posted by Sandman
Avoided?

You're funny.

A lot of people who trusted that the UN had the correct approach and knew best how to handle Iraq and Saddam are just ignoring this it seems.

It's a huge story and all those involved need to go to prison. Yeah, this scandel underminded the UN sanctions on Iraq and very well could have played a role in how this all turned out.

Saddam wqas reinforced in his beliefs that the UN and the world would do nothing to stop him. It embolded him, no doubt.

Nations like France, Germany and later Spain just gave him hope that he would get the sanctions lifted and be free to do whatever he wanted. And why wouldn't he think that? The UN and all those countries and companies involved didn't take it seriously, why would he.

The UN does need to be dismantled. No country or dictator will ever fear or respect the UN.