Posted on 12/29/2004 1:19:43 PM PST by rightalien
The New York Sun is reporting that both the Clinton Administration and UN officials were warned early on of problems with the UN Oil for Food Program:
The Clinton administration and the United Nations were warned of a crucial problem in the oil-for-food program when it was first designed, Claude Hankes-Drielsma, a former British consultant to the Iraqi Governing Council, told The New York Sun yesterday. Investigators under Paul Volcker admit that this problem now "seriously hampers" their probe.
Mr. Hankes-Drielsma said that Madeline Albright, the former secretary of state, as well as U.N. officials who designed the program before it was officially accepted by Saddam in late 1996, were warned by Iraqi dissidents that they should not allow oil to be sold through shadow companies and middlemen.
Such companies allowed for an elaborate scheme of bribes that allegedly were paid by Saddam in the form of allocations, or "vouchers," of millions of barrels of oil to friendly politicians, government ministries, and U.N. officials. Those companies were set in a way that was designed to hide the true beneficiaries, or end users.
It is becoming clear that there are problematic answers to the classic Watergate question: "What did the Secretary of State know, and when did she know it?"
Madeline Albright should be subpoened by Senator Coleman's investigative subcommittee, and required to answer under oath about what she knew, and what she communicated to President Clinton. She will no doubt invoke Executive Privilege. Let her do so before the cameras.
Hat tip: Ed Lasky
Does anyone believe everyone was dipping into the cookie jar except slick willie?
Since slick willie and Yeltsin had a sweet deal, there is no doubt in my mind that slick willie and the UN had a deal as well.
But, but, but Volcker said that it didn't happen. It was a great ruse hatched by the evil W and his band of marauding CEOs. /so
Is it time to start the chant the Dims are so fond of.....
What did they know & when did they know it!?!?!?!
Oh, please, please.
I am not even shocked by this. Of course Clinton knew and as far as Albright she will deny, deny and deny some more saying it is a right wing conspiracy that is making it up. And hillary will back her up, so Willie will do what he also did, let someone else clean up the mess he's made.
Could the "Design Flaws" in the Oil for Food Program be accidentally made by Madeline Albright and then President Clinton?
Does "executive privilege" survive a President's term? She may just have to take the 5th.
bttt
I don't know -- but he IS a LOT wealthier today than he was in 1992.
Toon helped engineer the program. Of course he knew about it. In any case, so did everyone else, including Congress. There were media reports about OFF and fraud dating from 1999.
Umm, who is the highest former Clinton Administration official with a deep understanding of bribery and intimidation? Who is his or her spouse?
Are you referring to Albright or The Co-President, when you say she?
<sarcasm I'm totally shocked such a thing could happen </sarcasm
Hopefully both.
I could hardly stand to see Madeline Halfbright 's hairdo again or hear her whiny voice...but wouldn't it be grand if she got money or advantage from this and THAT came out?
Eveyone knows that Hitlery is the money man in that fam.
Imagine Madeline Albright nude. Now return to your keyboard after vomitting.
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