U.N. Watchdog Begins Oil-For-Food Probe

Yahoo! News ^ | 3/16/04 | AP

[NormsRevenge]

UNITED NATIONS -

Secretary-General Kofi Annan (news - web sites) said the U.N. watchdog has begun an investigation of allegations that former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) reaped millions of dollars from the U.N. oil-for-food humanitarian program.

"We are exploring," Annan told reporters, adding that the Office for Internal Oversight Services has been in touch with the Iraqi Governing Council and the U.S.-led coalition seeking additional information.

The oil-for-food program was established by the U.N. Security Council in December 1996 to help ordinary Iraqis cope with U.N. sanctions imposed after Iraq (news - web sites)'s 1990 invasion of Kuwait. It quickly became a lifeline for 90 percent of the population.

The program, which ended in November, allowed the former Iraqi regime to sell unlimited quantities of oil, provided the money went primarily to buy humanitarian goods and pay reparations to victims of the 1991 Gulf War (news - web sites). Saddam's government decided on the goods it wanted, who should provide them, and who could buy Iraqi oil.

In late January, the Governing Council asked the Oil Ministry to gather information on allegations that Saddam's regime bribed prominent foreigners with oil money to back his government.

The request followed publication in the Iraqi newspaper Al-Mada of a list of about 270 former Cabinet officials, legislators, political activists and journalists from more than 46 countries suspected of profiting from Iraqi oil sales.

There were also reports that Saddam was soliciting bribes on oil-for-food contracts.

Annan said the head of the U.N. watchdog agency, Dileep Nair, has started to investigate what other measures need to be taken, "whether he has the capacity or he needs to bring in additional people."

When the program ended, its executive director Benon Sevan said $65 billion of oil had been exported and $31 billion in food and medicine had been delivered to the Iraqi people. At least $8.2 billion worth of humanitarian goods was still in the delivery pipeline at the time.

[NormsRevenge]

Come on over to FR, Kofi.. Save a lot of leg work "exploring".

[NormsRevenge]

United Nations (news - web sites) Secretary General Kofi Annan (news - web sites) speaks on the topic 'The United Nations and Global Security in the 21st Century', at the annual David A. Morse lecture hosted by the Council of Foreign Relations in New York, Tuesday, March 16, 2004. (AP Photo/Stuart Ramson)

[Paleo Conservative]

U.N. Watchdog Begins Oil-For-Food Probe

Has that watchdog been neutered yet?

[EGPWS]

Secretary-General Kofi Annan said the U.N. watchdog fox has begun an investigation of allegations that former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein reaped millions of dollars from the U.N. oil-for-food humanitarian program hen house.

[DeuceTraveler]

Oh good, the United Nations is investigating itself for corruption. I feel better now.

[stylin19a]

good grief....it appears Dileep Nair was appointed by Annan.

From the UN web site:
OIOS provides worldwide internal auditing and inspection, as well as program monitoring and evaluation to all U.N. activities under the Secretary-General's authority. The office was specifically designed to strengthen internal oversight within the U.N. system. Although a department within the U.N. Secretariat, OISO reports directly to the General Assembly, not the Secretary-General.

While it looks like Annan was up to his elbows in the cows A$$, he will probably not be mentioned in the report.

Dileep Nair (unless there is another Dileep Nair that works @ the UN) is also a trustee of the UN International School (UNIS). Trustees are appointed by the Seceraty-General.

Follow the money, not the oil.

[McGavin999]

This means they are going to have their own INTERNAL audit. It needs to be done by independent outside people.

[Judith Anne]

Another corrupt move by Kofi Annan, who benefitted hugely from fees as administrator of the Oil for Food program. This is a toothless investigation, and all the more suspect since Kofi's son Kojo is implicated in the corrupt deals made by nations with Saddam.

The UN is filthy with corruption. Get the US out of the UN and get the UN out of the US! No more US taxpayers' money to the murderous anti-freedom tin-pot dictator thugs at the UN!

[SAR_dude]

I saw that list of 270 "recipients" when it was first released back in January(?), and thankfully, the only American on it was a pro-Saddam Iraqi-American, the same fellow who bankrolled Scott Ritter's "documentary" film.

[MEG33]

I am not feeling confident about this probe.

[DustyMoment]

Expect the UN investigation to determine that George W. Bush was at the heart of the scandal.

We are talking about the UN, you know. This is NOT an objective group.

[fedupjohn]

...When the program ended, its executive director Benon Sevan said $65 billion of oil had been exported and $31 billion in food and medicine had been delivered to the Iraqi people. At least $8.2 billion worth of humanitarian goods was still in the delivery pipeline at the time.


That adds up to $39.8 billion, where is the other $25 billion? Can we say bribery?