Facts on Who Benefits From Keeping Saddam Hussein In Power

The Heritage Foundation ^ | February 28, 2003 | Carrie Satterlee

[Republican_Strategist]

Facts on Who Benefits From Keeping Saddam Hussein In Power

by The Heritage Foundation
WebMemo #217

February 28, 2003 |  |

FRANCE

• According to the CIA World Factbook, France controls over 22.5 percent of Iraq's imports. French total trade with Iraq under the oil-for-food program is the third largest, totaling $3.1 billion since 1996, according to the United Nations.
  
• Roughly 60 French companies do an estimated $1.5 billion in trade with Baghdad annually under the U.N. oil-for-food program.
  
• France's largest oil company, Total Fina Elf, has negotiated a deal to develop the Majnoon field in western Iraq. The Majnoon field purportedly contains up to 30 billion barrels of oil.
  
• Total Fina Elf also negotiated a deal for future oil exploration in Iraq's Nahr Umar field. Both the Majnoon and Nahr Umar fields are estimated to contain as much as 25 percent of the country's reserves.
  
• From 1981 to 2001, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), France was responsible for over 13 percent of Iraq's arms imports.

GERMANY

• Direct trade between Germany and Iraq amounts to about $350 million annually, and another $1 billion is reportedly sold through third parties/countries.
  
• It has recently been reported that Saddam Hussein has ordered Iraqi domestic businesses to show preference to German companies as a reward for Germany's "[F]irm positive stand in rejecting the launching of a military attack against Iraq." It was also reported that over 101 German companies were present at the Baghdad Annual exposition.
  
• During the 35th Annual Baghdad International Fair in November 2002, a German company signed a contract for $80 million for 5,000 cars and spare parts.
  
• German officials are investigating a German corporation accused of illegally channeling weapons to Iraq via Jordan. The equipment in question is used for boring the barrels of large cannons, and is allegedly intended for Saddam Hussein's Al Fao Supercannon project.

RUSSIA

• According to the CIA World Factbook, Russia controls roughly 5.8 percent of Iraq's annual imports. Under the U.N. oil-for-food program, Russia's total trade with Iraq totaled somewhere between $530 million and $1 billion for the six months ending in December of 2001.
  
• According to the Russia's Ambassador to Iraq, Vladimir Titorenko, new contracts worth another $200 million under the U.N. oil-for-food program are to be signed over the next three months.
  
• Soviet-era debt of $7 billion through $8 billion was generated by arms sales to Iraq during the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war.
  
• Russia's LUKoil negotiated a $4 billion, 23-year contract in 1997 to rehabilitate the 15 billion-barrel West Qurna field in southern Iraq. Work on the oil field was expected to commence upon cancellation of U.N. sanctions on Iraq. The deal is currently on hold.
  
• In October 2001, Salvneft, a Russian-Belarus company, negotiated a $52 million service contract to drill two oil fileds in southern Iraq; the Tuba field and the Suba-Luhais field.
  
• In April 2001, Russia's Zaruezhneft company received a service contract to drill in the Saddam, Kirkuk, and Bai Hassan fields to rehabilitate the fields and reduce water incursion.
  
• A future $40 billion Iraqi-Russian economic agreement, reportedly signed in 2002, would allow for extensive oil exploration opportunities throughout western Iraq.
  
• Russia's Gazprom company over the last few years has signed contracts worth $18 million to repair gas stations in Iraq.
  
• The former Soviet Union was the premier supplier of Iraqi arms. From 1981 to 2001 Russia has supplied Iraq with 50 percent of its arms.

CHINA

• According to the CIA World Factbook, China controls roughly 5.8 percent of Iraq's annual imports.
  
• China National Oil Company has negotiated a deal for future oil exploration in the Al Ahdab field in Iraq. Total estimate of the contract is unknown.
  
• In recent years, the Chinese Aero-Technology Import-Export Company (CATIC) has been contracted to sell "meteorological satellite" and "surface observation" equipment to Iraq. This contract was approved by the U.N. oil-for-food program.
  
• CATIC also won approval from the U.N. in July 2000 to sell $2 million worth of fiber optic cables. This and similar contracts approved were disguised as telecommunications gear. These cables can be used for secure data and communications links between national command and control centers and long-range search radar, targeting radar, and missile-launch units, according to U.S. officials. In addition, China National Electric Wire & Cable and China National Technical Import Telecommunications Equipment Company are believed to have sold Iraq $6. million and $15.5 million worth of communications equipment and other unspecified supplies, respectively.
  
• According to a report from SIPRI, from 1981 to 2001, China was the second largest supplier of weapons and arms to Iraq, supplying over 18 percent of Iraq's weapon's imports.

Carrie Satterlee, Research Assistant in the Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Institute for International Studies at The Heritage Foundation, prepared this fact sheet from numerous sources.

[Mind-numbed Robot]

You have to factor in the United Nations use of the EPA in this country and the many agencies in which the UN and EPA are 'parterners'.

Since all the programs listed above were approved by the U.N. under the Food for Oil program they seem as involved in the charade as the individual countries.

[Bonaparte]

A very nice synopsis, RS.

But it neglects our "friends" in the UN--

While the UN has sold more than $61 billion dollars worth of Iraqi oil during the past six years under the so-called Oil for Food (OF) program, very little has been written about where that money has actually gone. Although the UN has managed $61 billion of Iraq’s oil revenues since 1996, the global organization refuses to take $16 million from the funds to pay Iraq’s membership dues, thus depriving Iraq of its vote in the General Assembly.

The UN’s OF program, which began in 1996, is generally portrayed as a program designed to provide the long-suffering Iraqi population with food in exchange for Iraqi crude. The program’s name “Oil for Food” is deceptive, however, for it hides the fact that much of the money actually winds up in UN bank accounts - and those of its friends.

Although not widely known, it is clear that the UN OF program has been operated as a huge money making scheme for the globalist institution, which has been greatly enriched by Iraqi oil proceeds, while the basic needs of the Iraqi people have gone unmet.

[Just mythoughts]

There is someone missing from this list the Clinton's.

Let us not forget that as leaders of world socialism, it would not be proper to leave them out.


What is their take, whose name is it under?

[ConservativeMan55]

Bump for later reading, printing, and e-mailing.

[nickcarraway]

You mean ChIRAQ is not doing it out of his love for peace??

[nickcarraway]

ping

[Howlin]

An excellent post!

If I were president, I'd take this list and start marking them off one at a time as each one of this "accommodtations" were dismantled.

[Howlin]

accommodations
accommodations
accommodations

[t4texas]

The key figures are not only the commerce conducted with Iraq presently and in the future but the debts already accumulated by Saddam that remain unrepaid and outstanding. I would expect that Russia, France and Germany head that list and the Russians in particular are most interested in collecting due to its pathetic fiscal condition.

[Bonaparte]

"What is their take, whose name is it under?"

All we have are estimates and, of course, no actual names.

Check this out.

[Carolinamom]

This article deserves a separate thread....BIG TIME.

[Lady In Blue]

Thanks for the ping!

[Dr. Scarpetta]

BUMP

[palmer]

French total trade with Iraq under the oil-for-food program is the third largest, totaling $3.1 billion since 1996

Our trade was $4B in 1999 alone (census bureau) so we benefitted much more than the French.

[GOPJ]

Count me in, I've joined the boycott against all things French...

[eleni121]

How can you forget the cosy economic relationship between the Muslim Turks and Iraq?

From arabicnews.com

"Worthy mentioning that the volume of the Turkish exports to Iraq reached in 2001 USD 709.6 million and the Turkish companies in the course of the sanctions imposed on Iraq signed more than 800 contracts with Baghdad at a value of USD 1.5 billion."

[Just mythoughts]

Thank You

This is like the twilight zone. All socialism, layered bureaucracy, hidden agendas, all for one and one for all. The UN our very own Tower of Babel.

No wonder the socialist leaders of the world are so insulted that President Bush is trying to unplug their heating pads.

[knighthawk]

Middle East list

If people want on or off this list, please let me know.

[dixiechick2000]

Thanks for the ping, knighthawk.

FREEDOM FRIES

Cindy, another freeper (sorry, can't remember who) coined my favorite term:

TRAITOR TATERS

[Rockitz]

Talk about the fox guarding the henhouse......

It's truly time for US to exit the UN!