[tm22721]

Let's move on, nothing to see here...

BUMP

[Stultis]

If C-Span doesn't come through, a live webcast (during the event only) will be available at the committee's website. You might also consider calling the committee or Henry Hydes office to see if they can coordinate getting C-Span on this event:

http://wwwc.house.gov/international_relations/

Committee on International Relations
U.S. House of Representatives
Henry J. Hyde, Chairman
CONTACT: Sam Stratman, (202) 226-7875, April 27, 2004

For IMMEDIATE Release

Alleged Abuses & Oil-for-Food Program
Hyde Schedules Wednesday Oversight Hearing on Issues
of Accountability and Transparency in U.N. Program

 

BACKGROUND: In a March report on Iraqi assets stolen by Saddam Hussein’s regime, the General Accounting Office (GAO) doubled to more than $10 billion its estimate of alleged theft and illegal oil smuggling from the U.N. Oil-for-Food Program. At issue are allegations of malfeasance ignored, and even condoned, by U.N. officials responsible for the program. Since its inception in 1996, more than $64 billion of Iraqi oil was sold to finance the purchase of food, medicine, and other humanitarian relief efforts for the Iraqi population. To ensure that the program operated under international standards, inspectors were employed by the U.N. to oversee the program. Throughout its seven-year life, the Oil-for-Food Program underwent frequent changes to cope with methods employed by Saddam Hussein to circumvent these safeguards in order to enrich himself and his cronies, including demands for kickbacks from companies wishing to do business with Iraq. Last week, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan named Paul Volcker, the former Chairman of the Federal Reserve, to lead an independent investigation of the program. In Iraq, the finance ministry has begun a separate inquiry, with the help of international auditing firms, in an attempt to locate stolen assets. 

WHAT: Full Committee Oversight Hearing: The United Nations Oil-for-Food Program: Issues of Accountability and Transparency

WHEN: 10:30 a.m., Wednesday April 28

WHERE:  Room 2172 Rayburn House Office Building

WITNESSES: Joseph A. Christoff, Director, International Affairs and Trade, U.S. General Accounting Office; Howar Ziad, U.N. Representative, Kurdistan Regional Government; Michael Soussan, Former Program Coordinator, U.N. Oil-for-Food Program; Danielle Pletka, Vice President, Foreign and Defense Policy Studies, American Enterprise Institute; Claudia Rosett, Senior Fellow, The Foundation for the Defense of Democracies; and John G. Ruggie, Professor, Harvard University.

If C-Span doesn't come through, a live webcast (during the event only) will be available at the committee's website. You might also consider calling the committee or Henry Hydes office to see if they can coordinate getting C-Span on this event:

http://wwwc.house.gov/international_relations/

Committee on International Relations
U.S. House of Representatives
Henry J. Hyde, Chairman
CONTACT: Sam Stratman, (202) 226-7875, April 27, 2004

For IMMEDIATE Release

Alleged Abuses & Oil-for-Food Program
Hyde Schedules Wednesday Oversight Hearing on Issues
of Accountability and Transparency in U.N. Program

 

BACKGROUND: In a March report on Iraqi assets stolen by Saddam Hussein’s regime, the General Accounting Office (GAO) doubled to more than $10 billion its estimate of alleged theft and illegal oil smuggling from the U.N. Oil-for-Food Program. At issue are allegations of malfeasance ignored, and even condoned, by U.N. officials responsible for the program. Since its inception in 1996, more than $64 billion of Iraqi oil was sold to finance the purchase of food, medicine, and other humanitarian relief efforts for the Iraqi population. To ensure that the program operated under international standards, inspectors were employed by the U.N. to oversee the program. Throughout its seven-year life, the Oil-for-Food Program underwent frequent changes to cope with methods employed by Saddam Hussein to circumvent these safeguards in order to enrich himself and his cronies, including demands for kickbacks from companies wishing to do business with Iraq. Last week, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan named Paul Volcker, the former Chairman of the Federal Reserve, to lead an independent investigation of the program. In Iraq, the finance ministry has begun a separate inquiry, with the help of international auditing firms, in an attempt to locate stolen assets. 

WHAT: Full Committee Oversight Hearing: The United Nations Oil-for-Food Program: Issues of Accountability and Transparency

WHEN: 10:30 a.m., Wednesday April 28

WHERE:  Room 2172 Rayburn House Office Building

WITNESSES: Joseph A. Christoff, Director, International Affairs and Trade, U.S. General Accounting Office; Howar Ziad, U.N. Representative, Kurdistan Regional Government; Michael Soussan, Former Program Coordinator, U.N. Oil-for-Food Program; Danielle Pletka, Vice President, Foreign and Defense Policy Studies, American Enterprise Institute; Claudia Rosett, Senior Fellow, The Foundation for the Defense of Democracies; and John G. Ruggie, Professor, Harvard University.

[hellinahandcart]

bu,p

[hellinahandcart]

I mean bump 8^)

[KC Burke]

The corruption of the UN is so apparent but so un-PC. It won't be covered.

The reason is that the corruption of the media, their lack of honest principle, exceeds even that shown by paid off UN functionaries and EU criminals.

[OXENinFLA]

http://wwwc.house.gov/international_relations/

U.S. House of Representatives Committee on International Relations Live webcast of meeting (Only available during event. Check Committee schedule.)

[Blood of Tyrants]

John Kerry must be giving another of his rousing speec.... Zzzzzzzz!

[AIC]

I think that the major media is not owned by Americans but by Europe and the meddle east. The same with a lot of the stocks on the stock market.Why do you think that every time that something happens in Europe or the middle east that they don't like and is in America's earnest that the stock market goes down and causes a lot of concern and talk to back off. The same with a lot of our politicians who are owned by lobbyist with middle east, European, or other special interest groups.

[boomop1]

Maybe Brian Lamb got some kickbacks, (it's a joke Brian).

[HenryLeeII]

Look, felony perjury is not impeachable, oral sex is not sex, advocating the cessation of infanticide is 'violence against women', and taking pay-offs from a murderous dictator to ignore his activities is not corruption! When are you people going to get with the pogrom?!?!

[leadpenny]

How do you know they do not have cameras scheduled for the Hearing?

[The Bandit]

This is a UN issue; CSPAN mission is coverage of US political process.....

[TheStickman]

I called and complained. The woman informed me they would not be broadcasting these hearings and it was a *programming* decision. I was transferred to where I could leave a *comment*.

So much for C-Span being after the truth, eh?

[ravingnutter]

Related news story heads up:

FNC reports Marc Rich tied to UN Oil for Food Scandal

[fly_so_free]

Oh well it just figures , doesn't it? This story of the UN corruption must be brought to the attention of the American people. They have to understand that , there is no UN to turn our troubles over too. They are corrupt and they cowered, ran out , when things got tough.

[CyberAnt]

I've also been watching for a rerun of VP Cheney's Westminister speech - nothing! I sent them an email today.

[patriciaruth]

C-span2 had some kind of liberal Democratic Congressmen and Senators lovefest on a bit ago...arranged at tables like they were having a hearing rather than a free media bonanza.

Hitlery, et al, were there nodding their heads in solemn agreement with whichever one was getting free face time at the moment.

Yuck!

[uncitizen]

Is CSPAN biased? Cuz whenever i've seen it, and grant you that isn't often, i've noticed how the hosts bend over backwards not to impose their own opinions into the discussion.

[Brandon]

This is on C-SPAN's schedule for tomorrow. Obviously not the actual hearings, but it's a start. Maybe they'll show the full hearings later. The time is EDT:

07:45 am 0:45 (est.) LIVE Call-In Iraq Oil-for-Food Program C-SPAN, Washington Journal Nile Gardiner , Heritage Foundation

[Ann Archy]

I detest C-Span...Steve, the punk, and Brian Lamb are totally left wing.