Hi, I'm Carl Levin.
We in the Democrat Party say:
BLAME AMERICA FIRST!
Posted on 05/17/2005 12:46:28 AM PDT by Crackingham
The Democratic opposition in the US Congress pointed to a US role in diverting funds managed by the regime of Saddam Hussein, arguing that American authorities had facilitated the smuggling of Iraqi oil in early 2003.
"We need to look into the mirror at ourselves, as well as point fingers at others," said Democratic Senator Carl Levin.
According to a report presented by Levin, which cites communications between the navy and merchant ships, "on occasion, the US actually facilitated the illicit oil sales, as happened in the Khor al-Amaya incident in 2003."
This incident involves the largest single illicit sale of oil transported by ship out of Iraq during the sanctions period. Over several weeks in February and March 2003, Iraq loaded over seven million barrels of oil onto seven seagoing oil tankers at the port of Khor al-Amaya in Southern Iraq, according to the report. In exchange for this oil, the government of Jordan wired over 53 million dollars in hard currency to bank accounts under the control of the Hussein regime on the eve of the American invasion.
"We explicitly knew that ships were being used to deliver that," said Levin, the ranking member of a subcommittee that has already blamed French, British and Russian officials for receiving bribes from the Iraqis.
The reports indicated that the US Navy was fully aware about the tankers and let them go. It cites an official from US company Odin Marine, which took part in the transactions and spoke about his communications with Harry French, a US naval commander.
"Commander French advised that he had no objections," the report quoted David Young, the Odin Marine official, as saying.
"He said that he was sorry he could not say anything more. I told him I completely understood and I did not expect him to say anything more... I also asked commander French as a method of procedure if I could continue to call him to request permission for vessels to proceed to and depart from Iraq and he said that would be okay."
The report indicates there were gaps in the US sanctions control regime and that US imports of Iraqi oil have helped finance about 52 percent of clandestine deals hatched illegally by the regime of Saddam Hussein. It points to the role played by Bayoil, a Texas-based company, whose owners were indicted in the United States last month. The company is accused of being the largest importer of Iraqi oil to the United States between 2000 and 2002 and selling more than 200 million barrels of oil at a time when the Iraqi regime demanded illegal kickbacks that sometimes went as high as 30 cents a barrel.
There is what Democrats say, and then there is the truth.
I can't wait to hear the offical version of what happened.
Democrats = Blame America FIRST....
What? You mean the blame America first crowd is blaming America? Whoda thunk it...
You mean Democrats are actually admitting there WAS an Oil For Food scandal?
As Levin makes these allegations, Billary, McDermott, Biden and a few others are over in the corner going "Shh, Shh... Hush dammit; we don't want anyone looking too closely at any American involvement in this. We have Swiss accounts that won't bear any scrutiny".
The real question is, did the US Navy know, at the tie, that the oil was "illicit"? Iraq was ALLOWED to sell oil under Oil for Food. The corruption was "behind the scenes"! I'd like the answer to THAT question before any other.
And I'm getting damn sick of it!
I can sense where this is headed based on the 2003 timeframe. When democrats look into a mirror for "blame", they see republicans in the reflection.
Hi, I'm Carl Levin.
We in the Democrat Party say:
BLAME AMERICA FIRST!
BUT, whatever you do, don't question the Dhimmicrats,,er,,Democrats patriotism. They love the U.N.,,,,I mean U.S.,,,,,just like every other decent American.
;-)
Yes...... Call them,,,, BAFS....baffles
Thats because, they are wearing their " We can't see our own HYPOCRISY " Rose color glasses .
Oh, I don't think it's a matter of if.... :)
"It would be funny if Democrats were found part of the scandal."
They will be. When cornered you attack. Best way to tell if you are doing something right is to give it to a liberal. Whatever they do, do the opposite.
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