Posted on 11/17/2004 11:08:13 PM PST by kattracks
[snip] But on Monday, the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations disclosed that Saddam and his cronies took more than $21 billion. The lion's share of the thievery (more than $17 billion) occured on the watch of U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan (1997-2003).
Meanwhile, former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker — appointed by Mr. Annan to head the U.N. investigation of the scandal — rejected a bipartisan request made by subcommittee Chairman Norm Coleman and the ranking member, Sen. Carl Levin, that U.N. officials waive diplomatic immunity and testify before Congress. In response to a Nov. 9 letter from Messrs. Coleman and Levin requesting that Mr. Annan reconsider his decision to bar release of more than 55 internal audits of the oil-for-food program, Mr. Volcker defended withholding the data. He cited the U.N.'s "need to maintain confidentiality in its internal deliberations." Mr. Annan's spokesman says that the U.N. boss feels himself bound by Mr. Volcker's request.[snip]
It will indeed be interesting to see what Mr. Volcker, who was appointed by Mr. Annan and lacks subpoena power, manages to unearth.
If the Volcker panel's handling of a private firm's investigation of corruption in oil-for-food is any indication, it's difficult to see how any U.N. probe will yield much useful information. The Washington Times reported yesterday that IBIS Risk Management Services Inc., a company tasked by the panel with investigating the program, uncovered new information — some of it dealing with connections between the program and possible oil-for-food payments to French President Jacques Chirac — that was ignored by U.N. officials. An IBIS representative said he believes the lack of interest was due to incompetence or a desire to ignore information that could pose problems for the United Nations.
(Excerpt) Read more at washtimes.com ...
bttt
...connections between the program and possible oil-for-food payments to French President Jacques Chirac...
Wouldn't it be interesting if Jacques Chirac, the epitome of the sniffy aristocrat who never misses an opportunity to shut up, turned out to be little more than a greedy-hearted, small-minded money-lover?
The Face of Evil
ChIraq is up to his neck in this, of that you can be sure.
Wouldn't it be interesting if Jacques Chirac, the epitome of the sniffy aristocrat who never misses an opportunity to shut up, turned out to be little more than a greedy-hearted, small-minded money-lover?
I meant to write "who never misses an opportunity NOT to shut up"!
Doesn't Chiraq have immunity from prosecution only for as long as he holds his office?
I think that he is guilty as sin, which would explain his almost obsessive carping about the Iraqi war and GWB. Chirac's posturing very much reminds me of the way a criminal would act when the 'law' is getting too close for comfort.
Go get em Norm!! BUMP!!
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