Posted on 12/13/2004 1:22:45 AM PST by kattracks
WASHINGTON — When Saddam Hussein launched his sinister campaign to woo international support through sweetheart oil deals under the U.N. oil-for-food program, there was no better-qualified fixer to rig the system than Marc Rich.The still-in-exile commodities trader is the world's preeminent sanctions-buster, having earned a massive fortune through decades of financial skulduggery.
Prosecutors say Rich sold Soviet oil to South Africa's apartheid regime and that he bought oil from Libya's Moammar Khadafy and Iran's ayatollahs while they were under worldwide embargos.
Rich is also alleged to have helped Mafia figures plunder Russian financial resources after the fall of communism, and did business with Cuba's Fidel Castro, Serbia's Slobodan Milosevic and Romanian butcher Nicolai Ceaucescu — all at a time when U.S. businessmen were barred from dealing with those countries.
His deals have earned him a fortune estimated between $1 billion and $8 billion. Rich and his glamorous second wife, Gisela, live in a mansion in Zug, Switzerland.
[snip]
Rich always kept one step ahead of U.S. marshals, who had launched at least two operations in Europe to try to apprehend him.
His pardon in the waning hours of the Clinton presidency came after his ex-wife, Denise, a songwriter and Manhattan socialite, organized a massive campaign. It was helped in part by donations of more than $1 million to Democratic campaigns and Clinton's defense fund, library fund and Hillary Rodham Clinton's New York Senate campaign.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
This is blood money - Plain and simple! Untold thousands perished so that Rich and his nominee, his ex-wife Denise - A friend of Bill and Hill, could obtain the funds to buy the pardon from Clinton. Where is the outrage!
I am not so sure Denise was such a great friend of Hillary, although I am sure that Hillary appreciated Denise giving Bill his sexual pleasures so she wouldnt have to.
Who knows, maybe she was helping willie out in the same way.
The sad thing is it's only about them.
"This is blood money - Plain and simple! Untold thousands perished"
? who perished?
For starters, Iraqis who otherwise would have had food/medicines they needed if not for the diverted Oil For Food monies. Then there are those who were direct victims of the Saddam regime - A regime that likely would have fallen under its own weight save for the arms and resources Rich and his cohorts enabled Saddam to obtain. Let's not forget the money Saddam paid to the Palestinians who killed Israelis. Those killed by the arms Rich's efforts helped place in the hands of numerous killers around the world. Also included are his profiteering in the Balkans on behalf of the Serbs and his dealings with virtually every despot who remained in power with no little assistance from the likes of Rich. The list goes on and on but these are a few examples of the "Financial skulduggery" referred to in the article.
LOL
Tony Snow (Fox News Radio) says that Hillary's presidential aspirations are DEAD because of this.
We shall see.
Let's pray that Tony is right.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.