Kofi Annandersen: Enron-style accounting at the U.N. Oil-for-Food Program.

Opinion Journal (WSJ) ^ | March 10, 2003 | Claudia Rosett

[Cicero]

Who is Saddam Hussein's biggest business partner?

The United Nations. The same U.N. whose secretary-general, Kofi Annan, stands as one of the chief ditherers over removing Saddam. Here are the ingredients of a conflict of interest.

Under the U.N.'s Office of the Iraq Program, which supervises the six-year-old Oil-for-Food Program, the U.N. has had a hand in the sale of more than $55 billion worth of Iraqi oil. Iraq ships oil out to U.N.-approved buyers under the terms of the sanctions agreement. The U.N. vets the inflow of "humanitarian" imports into Iraq.

[AFPhys]

And why do I smell slimy X42 snail tracks all over this one?

"I've had good deals before, but this is the best"

This "great deal" was dreamed up on the 'Toon's watch. I've NEVER trusted Annan and thought he was a snake from the first time I heard him. That is exactly the reaction I had about the 'Toon when I first heard him in the '92 campaign season. Snakes of a feather flock together, I think the saying goes. I have no doubt the slime trails are entwined together.

[hellinahandcart]

Take a look.

[lorrainer]

Keep bumping it to the top. Already bookmarked on my profile page.

I apparently have an endless capacity for being surprised. If an author came up with this, no one would believe it. Above all, the Mrs. MUST NOT EVER become president. I need some sleep...

[knighthawk]

The result is that U.N.-approved aid goes to reinforce Saddam's control over what is already a Soviet-league state-run economy. Part of what helped Saddam rise to power in the first place was Iraq's embrace in the 1960s of Soviet-style central planning, which by rationing goods and controlling people's livelihoods serves as a powerful tool for political control.

No more UN for US-list

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

[John_11_25]

The US should check bank accounts of all UN top officials and their familes, who are in anyway connected to the Iraqi issue discussed. Someone will be taking the cream off this one. Any organisation who polices itself with this kind of temptation, is doomed to failure.

So now we know why Blix and his buddy were so pleasant last week. The amounts of money concerned are enough to get Presidents and Prime Ministers assasinated, never mind delay or stop a war or even buy Weapons inspectors.

Look Out & Stay Safe: George, Tony, Colin, Jack, Dick and good old Rummy.

[Mudboy Slim]

Git the US Outta the UN...NOW!!! Git the UN Outta the US...NOW!!!

We don't need no steeeenkin' World Guv'ment!!

FReegards...MUD

[IrishRainy]

Absolutely appalling! Sure explains a lot, tho.

I think the best thing we can do for the entire world at this point is to go ahead without the UN. The sooner we render this organization superfluous, the better.

[alrea]

french capitalist bump

[MeekOneGOP]

Incredible ! Thanks for the ping . . .

[MeekOneGOP]

Kofi Annandersen: Enron-style accounting
at the U.N. Oil-for-Food Program

Excerpt:

Today, with private business largely smothered, except in Kurdish-controlled northern Iraq, the only significant source of foreign exchange is oil. All oil in Iraq belongs to the state. Saddam decides who will benefit from its sale, and who will be deprived. "The government of Iraq has the sole responsibility for allocating the money," says an official of the U.N.'s Oil-for-Food Program. "We cannot tell them, we only advise them." An author of the Coalition for International Justice report, Susan Blaustein, notes that Saddam has stolen Iraq's oil from his fellow countrymen. She points out that in accommodating this arrangement, "the U.N. is colluding in that theft."

< snip >

In another craven move, the U.N.'s Iraq program even allowed Saddam to dictate in October 2000 that he no longer wanted the Oil-for-Food accounts to be held in the currency of the enemy, meaning U.S. dollars. Obediently, the U.N. switched all Iraq funds from that stage forward to euros, in effect helping Saddam impose his own version of sanctions on the U.S.

Please let me know if you want ON or OFF my General Interest ping list!. . .don't be shy.

[leprechaun9]

For another data point on this subject, read The Road to Hell by Michael Marin.

The book relates his personal experiences as a "Peace Corps Volunteer" and includes a note on the unwillingness of Joe Liberman (CT Attorney General at the time) to prosecute the "Save the Children" enterprise for their fraudulent fund raising tactics.

Marin relates his experience in dealing with corruption in Africa, while trying to help the people. He also tells of the murder of his child and finding the body in the pit of an outhouse!

[VA40]

My two observations:

In another craven move, the U.N.'s Iraq program even allowed Saddam to dictate in October 2000 that he no longer wanted the Oil-for-Food accounts to be held in the currency of the enemy, meaning U.S. dollars. Obediently, the U.N. switched all Iraq funds from that stage forward to euros, in effect helping Saddam impose his own version of sanctions on the U.S.

Recall the stock market in October 2000?

Under the guise of the U.N.’s “Oil For Food” program, the U.N. has collected more than $1.2 billion each year in fees by administering the transfer of at least $15 billion a year. These fees alone pay the salaries of more than 4,000 U.N. employees.

Doesn't that work out to $300K a year? Nice salary for these "global humanitarians".

[MeekOneGOP]

Under the guise of the U.N.’s “Oil For Food” program, the U.N. has collected more than $1.2 billion each year in fees by administering the transfer of at least $15 billion a year. These fees alone pay the salaries of more than 4,000 U.N. employees.

Doesn't that work out to $300K a year? Nice salary for these "global humanitarians".

GOOD point. Big $$ for Terrorist enablers . . .

[firewalk]

Mandatory read ping

This ought to about do you all in for the day.

well then....I'm not reading it till later on.....
(-;

[cyncooper]

First thing I read this morning...Thanks, as always for the ping.

BUMP for the morning.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the heads up!

[demnomo]

And just when I thought my blood pressure was at its highest point from yesterday's UN-related news! This stuff needs to get out to Rush, Hannity, O'Reilly, etc. I know dang well it won't be the lead story (let alone buried on the back page) for any of the other major media outlets. It should be. I positively despise the UN and want the US out of that corrupt, worthless organization, ASAP.

[Howlin]

And just when I thought my blood pressure was at its highest point from yesterday's UN-related news!

I know what you mean. I suggested yesterday that maybe Jim could by us a decompression chamber!

[demnomo]

...I suggested yesterday that maybe Jim could buy us a decompression chamber!

Ain't that the truth!

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

It's the biggest problem in our country world today. Lying news reporters who will do anything to further the left wing agenda.

Amen. That our major allies had to get a letter printed in the WSJ - in both 2002 AND 2003 telling the world that the USA is not acting unilaterally is all anyone needs to know.