Saddam's Global Payroll - Time to take a serious look at the U.N.'s oil-for-food program ~ WSJ.

The Wall Street Journal. ^ | February 9, 2004 | THERESE RAPHAEL

[Elle Bee]

On Dec. 5, during a trip to Baghdad, Claude Hankes-Drielsma faxed an urgent letter to U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan. Mr. Hankes-Drielsma, the U.K. Chairman of Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, had recently been appointed to advise the Iraqi Governing Council. What he saw in Baghdad left him shocked. "As a result of my findings here, combined with earlier information," he wrote, "I most strongly urge the U.N. to consider appointing an independent commission to review and investigate the 'Oil for Food Programme.' Failure to do so might bring into question the U.N.'s credibility and the public's perception of it. . . . My belief is that serious transgressions have taken place and may still be taking place."

[Elle Bee]

Click Logo to go to:

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[Fledermaus]

EXCELLENT! This issue can't be talked about MORE and MORE!

The left is in trouble and should pay dearly in November!

[DeuceTraveler]

I'd really be interested in reading if there are any American names that turn up.

[endthematrix]

But would you be surprised? Remember that there are two issues who was given direct sale and who benefited (profited) off those sales off a broker. You'll find that US companies (and consumers) profited off that oil siphon scam.

[Atlantic Friend]

Can the new Iraqi Government demand the extradition of these people, in your opinion ? After all, there is strong suspicion that their actions helped Saddam's tyrannical regime, and it would be great to expose the truth about these payments. Either they come clean, and earn polite excuses, or they're convicted, and sent to an Iraqi jail recently freed of its former occupants.

[backhoe]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/898147/posts
Master list FR posted articles on UN Food for Oil program
GailA ^ | 4/22/03 | Various

[Atlantic Friend]

In fact, two names came up on the list MEMRI features on its website. The names seem to be of Arab-American citizens. There was post on Free Republic about the list ten days ago, I think, with a link to the MEMRI site. You could find them here - if you don't, please tell me, I'll try to look it up.

[Elle Bee]

thanks for all the good work you do

.

[backhoe]

Thanks, I appreciate that.

[mewzilla]

Thanks for posting this. And even if we refuse to get to the bottom of this, the Iraqis should investigate the UN. It's the Iraqis' money.

Bump.

[GailA]

Thanks Backhoe.

[backhoe]

You bet- I had saved that in bookmarks for occasions just like this. Thanks for compiling it.

[wtc911]

Forirgn Policy Mag covered this six months ago.

Anan's prior gig with the UN was controlling where and when they would intervene with "peace-keeping" troops. The Rwanda atrocities happened un-challenged on his watch.

He is nothing but a criminal.

[MamaLucci]

Hey, Elle Bee, good to see you!
Looks like Kofi and company have some 'splainin to do.

[MamaLucci]

bttt!

[Shermy]

Panama:
1-Mr. Siphan/ 11.5 million

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1067157/posts

Apparently Mr. Sevan, assurer of the "100" audits of the Oil for Food program.

[Shermy]

I believe Kofi was architect of the Oil for Food scheme in 1996.

Arguably he was awarded with the Secretary General position after that.

[Joe Bonforte]

Well, that explains this letter I received a while back:

ALLOW ME TO INTRODUCE MYSELF, I AM THE PRESIDENT OF AN OIL REPUBLIC IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND AM DESIROUS OF WORKING OUT MODALITIES TO TRANSFER MY ASSETS TO OTHER COUNTRIES. YOU ARE NO DOUBT WONDERING WHY I SHOULD CONTACT YOU. I HAVE OBTAINED YOUR NAME FROM TRUSTED SOURCES WHO VOUCH THAT YOU ARE HONORABLE AND WISE.

I WISH TO TRANSFER THE SUM OF $350,000,000 (350 MILLION DOLLARS) IN THE FORM OF OIL CONTRACTS THAT MAY BE REDEEMED ON THE OPEN OIL MARKET. AS A PARTICIPANT, YOU ARE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE TEN PERCENT OF THIS AMOUNT FOR FACILITATING SUCH TRANSFER. I ALSO SET ASIDE ANOTHER TEN PERCENT FOR EXPENSES ASSOCIATED.

PLEASE SEND ME YOUR FINANCIAL INFOMRATION SO THAT I MAY TRANSFER THESE OIL CONTRACTS TO YOU IMMEDIATELY. IF YOU ARE IN DOUBT OF THE AUTHENTICITY OF THIS ARRANGEMENT, YOU MAY CONTACT THE UNITED NATIONS FOR AUTHENTICATION.

SADDAM HUSSEIN

[gaspar]

Still pending in all this is the role that former Minister of Defense, and then Minister of Interior Jean-Pierre Chevenement played in the French overt and covert support for Iraq. As Minister of Defense Chevenement was the founder of the Iraqi-French Friendship Assn., in 1985. He led the French "neutralist" position in the first Gulf War, and he continued to support Saddam Hussein after that event until his resignation from Government in 2000. The fact that the French military does not appear in the oil payoffs is not strange, but almost assuredly their leadership will appear as beneficiary as more documents are unearthed.

It is important to bear in mind that within the French kleptocracy there are three major cabals at work. The Presidency, the Military, and the Intelligence Services. In Africa and the Middle East each has sought its own entree to corrupt governments in order to benefit from contract skimming.

Thus, when the name Michel Grimard appears (President of the Movement Chretien Veme Republique) as a beneficiary in the oil scam business it is important to understand his relationship with Jacques Chirac, AKA "Jacques Iraq". See http://www.factbook.net/chirac.php

And when the name Jean-Pierre Chevenement does not appear, one must wonder why, given his close relationship to Iraqi and French military and intelligence circles over nearly two decades. I am betting that his name will eventually surface. Bill Gertz has noted in the past the use of French corporations in the illegal shipment of military spare parts to Iraq. The French authors of such activity may yet be uncovered, and the results may well be more shocking than the cash for oil scam.

[Shermy]

But is there any media that cares? Will it be reported, investigated?