Posted on 10/06/2004 8:02:11 PM PDT by Pikamax
Hussein Beat Sanctions With Bribes Report Says Leader Gave Oil Vouchers to Those Who Helped Iraq By Robin Wright and Colum Lynch Washington Post Staff Writers Thursday, October 7, 2004; Page A01
Saddam Hussein made $11 billion in illegal income and eroded the world's toughest economic embargo during his final years as Iraq's leader through shrewd schemes to secretly buy off dozens of countries, top foreign officials and major international figures, said a new report by the chief U.S. weapons inspector released yesterday.
The officials allegedly included the former top U.N. official in charge of humanitarian relief, Benon Sevan.
Recipients of oil "vouchers" that could be resold for large profits included Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri, French Interior Minister Charles Pasqua, former Russian presidential candidate Vladimir Zhirinovsky and governments, companies and influential individuals in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, the report said.
Sevan, who ran the former Oil For Food program designed to benefit the Iraqi people but not the regime received vouchers as well, the report says.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Bump...in the polls.
So why not publish the list of American and DU traitors!!
BUMP!
I have stated on FR before that I believed the arrest of Chalabi and the search of his house, etc., was tied up with this, and that the US was prepared to bury the entire thing.
It remains to be seen how complete the list appears to be compared to earlier reports, which had some high-ranking european and UN people involved, but I am willing to admit that it appears I was at the least partially wrong, if not more. At the same time, I cannot help but suspect that there is a white-wash of some of the biggest fish who still hold office somewhere.
Quite a different story from what the MSM has been putting out.
In the mid and late 90s, Saddam was diddling the whole world and had the UN, France, Germany and other old world socialists to protect him. There was enough administrative barbra streisand to fend off military action for years>
Willie saw an opportunty to pick up some cash. Willie or his henchmen met with Saddam or his henchmen and OBL and his folks to work out the details. Saddam would give cash/oil vouchers to Willie or his surrogates (see:Marc Rich) and in return, get info from OBL so we'd just miss killing him.
That's what the "no connection" was really about. Now, it fits "Viet Cong" John's objectives and, as long as the scumbags hold that line, Willie will do nothing to sink Kerry. Note also, that this filth and corruption is certainly related to the reason that Vince Foster was murdered.
He bought off those same "foreign leaders" to whom Kerry would defer.
Excellent point! The President and VP, and RNC ads, should say exactly what you just did. Kerry would never have gotten a passing grade on the "global test" from foreign leaders who were on Saddam's payroll. Under the "Kerry Doctrine" Saddam in the past and Saddams' of the future would hold a veto over our pre-emptive action. It is apparent that Saddam thought Bush II would be concerned about a "global test". Good thing Kerry wasn't President and God help us if he, or someone who thinks like him ever is. This report illuminates the danger of the "global test" doctrine, and leaders of all parties should reject it in the interest of the nation.
Yes sir.
ABOUT TIME AND FRONT PAGE TOO, maybe Washpost is looking for redemption
bttt
Speaks for itself...
Russia, France and China -- all permanent members of the U.N. Security Council -- were the top three countries in which individuals, companies or entities received the lucrative vouchers. Hussein's goal, the report said, was to provide financial incentives so that these nations would use their influence to help undermine the punishing sanctions imposed after Iraq's 1990 invasion of Kuwait.
"At a minimum, Saddam wanted to divide the five permanent members and foment international public support of Iraq at the U.N.(Well, it worked! Duh!) and throughout the world by a savvy public relations campaign and an extensive diplomatic effort," the report said.
Several American companies on the list, compiled from 13 documents kept by Hussein's vice president and oil minister, were given vouchers to purchase billions of dollars of oil at discounted prices. The U.S. companies are not named in the report because of privacy laws, U.S. officials said.
DO YOU HEAR THIS JOHN KERRY AND JOHN EDWARDS?! YOUR "FRIENDS" *CREWED THE U. S. IN A TIME OF WAR, just like you two did!!!
I wonder how many U. S. politicians are on the list?
SPREAD THE WORD....
THE ONLY VOUCHERS LIBERALS BELIEVE IN ARE OIL VOUCHERS!
The Duelfer report says that Sevan was allocated 13 million barrels of oil, of which 7.3 million were cashed in.
bump
now remember that aint a dollar a barrel more like 33 to 39 a barrel.....somebody do the math
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