From Bagdad to Chicago: Rezko and the Auchi empire (by former senior State, DOD official)

Wikileaks ^ | 10-10-08 | John A. Shaw

[STARWISE]

“I first began to fathom the extent of Nadhmi Auchi's reach and corrupting influence when I was given responsibility for monitoring illegal transfers of technology and munitions to Iraq as well as overseeing all coalition transportation and communications reconstruction in Iraq."

###

Barack Obama has been appropriately strident in his condemnation of the mortgage-based financial corruption which nearly led to the collapse of the investment banking system in the United States.

But there are some strong smelling financial skeletons in his own closet. Obama has his own personal housing crisis that is tied not into Fanny Mae, but into a corrupt international financial combine headed by Nadhmi Auchi, the convicted Iraqi billionaire at the center of the Elf Aquitaine corruption trial in France.

Auchi has been shown to be the fountainhead of a source of corruption flowing from Iraq, to France, Italy, and the United States.

His financial network, under a Luxembourg company called General Mediterranean Holdings, spread from Baghdad and the Middle East to Paris, (where Auchi successfully posited Saddam's UN Oil for Food scheme), London, Washington, and Chicago, making very few ripples and raising no concerns.

Auchi is suave, cosmopolitan, brilliant, and ruthless, and he has bottomless pockets. His business is international banking, which is complexly organized and appropriately camouflaged to conceal any criminal activity.

He is the Godfather, but speaks in an Iraqi, not a Sicilian, dialect.

*snip*

His methodology, however, is straightforward: Under cover of seeking legitimate business, buy whoever is necessary in the political decision chain to control the process and the outcome.

As his longtime telecommunications partner Ala al-Hawaja, candidly put it to a potential competitor in Cairo, "there is nothing that cannot be accomplished with a suitcase full of money". So far he has been proven correct.

[STARWISE]

Auchi is, however, also the shadowy puppet master to Antoin "Tony" Rezko, a Syrian American with whom he partnered for more than a decade in schemes from Baghdad all the way to Chicago.

Their relationship began in the wake of the Iran-Iraq War, when the US was cultivating Iraq and Saddam Hussein.

Rezko is now in federal prison awaiting sentencing for 16 counts of corruption involving Illinois officials. Buying influence is his métier, guided and financed by his master, Auchi.

Rezko has also been a White House visitor, with his picture taken with Bill and Hillary Clinton for his contributions out of Chicago to the Clinton political war chest.

Was Rezko then and now merely the main Chicago conduit for Auchi money? Or was he part of a larger Iraqi scheme dating back to Saddam to buy access to US government contracts and influence?

What specifically was Auchi buying and where else did his money go?

Was Obama, like the governor of Illinois, a recipient of Auchi's favors as part of Rezko's scheme to purchase government contracts through kickbacks from campaign contributions?

There is no question that Obama, as a fledgling state senator, was a target of the Iraqi corruption combine, but did he become one of its pigeons? Was Rezko simply the front man for Auchi and Iraqi funding (whether it came from Saddam, Oil for Food, or General Mediterranean Holdings) over his entire Chicago career?

Rezko had identified Obama as a good political target before he graduated from Harvard Law School.

He was both the source of Obama's employment and of his largest political donations during his short political career. Rezko had no financial source apart from Auchi, his partner of over a decade.

Rezko was also the source of the financing for Obama's $2.3 million mansion despite his having no clear source of funding apart from Auchi. What did he get from Obama in return?

~~~

Rest at link.

~~~

God help, protect and save US. Keep praying.

[STARWISE]

~~Ching!

[shield]

Lots of fasting and praying taking place all over America. 40 day fast and prayer over this election started several weeks ago.

[mapmaker77]

The tip of another iceberg. Wonder if the drive-bys will cover this.
NOT!

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[Cicero]

He seems to have managed to worm his way into the State and Defense departments under the Bush Administration, as well, although it looks as if Rumsfeld blew the whistle on him.

We were in there in Iraq working with whomever we could, and this guy managed to work his way in—largely through the British Labour Party, it sounds like.

But since he was finally recognized for what he was by the Bush Administration, he appears to have been specializing in Democrats, with emphasis on the Daley Mob.

At the Center of the Oil for Food Scandal, as well. What a busy not-so-little mobster this guy has been.

[SE Mom]

Whoa..

This is mindboggling..

[SE Mom]

ping

[jennyjenny]

This is all so surreal.

[thatdewd]

Whoa, that's some deep stuff. Great find, STARWISE!

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[penelopesire]

Thanks for the Auchi ping. This story is growing more legs if John Shaw is now writing about it.

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED READING! Thanks! If you’ve got a ping list, please add me to it.

[bray]

This is 100 times the bombshell that Ayers is. This can help to explain why Achmed Oblack wanted out of Iraq and into Trashcanistan. This guy can fill the void.

Pray for W, Gov Palin/McDole and Our Troops

[mia]

Sure hope Rezko is under heavy guard in prison. . . though with all the money Auchi is throwing around, he better be under military guard.

This report reads like a novel of espionage.

Obama is the new Teflon man, unless Rezko squeals, the media will continue to elect Obama.

[Fred Nerks]

Auchi and Saddam

Emil Jones and Auchi

Emil Jones and...

IRAQI BILLIONAIRE THREATENS REPORTERS.LINK.

[LucyT]

Thank you, Fred Nerks.

Ping.

Photos at #15.

[SE Mom]

This really should assist the feds doing their background checks on Obama’s associates now. But my faith in them is at about 2 % right now- so I’m not holding my breath but am happy to bump the story again:)

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Thanks for the ping to another revolting discovery!

[tang-soo]

Two important email addys to put in your list ...

Jim Quinn - quinn@warroom.com
and Quinn's producer and frequent guest of Hannity
Rose Somma Tennet - rose@warroom.com

[piasa]

looks like Rezco can hold out for Obama pardon... :-(