Click this picture & goto "last" for the latest UN scandals:
Posted on 11/15/2004 10:40:00 AM PST by Oldeconomybuyer
WASHINGTON - Saddam Hussein 's regime made more than $21.3 billion in illegal revenue by subverting the U.N. oil-for-food program — more than double previous estimates, according to congressional investigators.
"This is like an onion — we just keep uncovering more layers and more layers," said Sen. Norm Coleman 's alleged surcharges, kickbacks and oil-smuggling are based on troves of new documents obtained by the committee's investigative panel, Coleman told reporters before the hearing. The documents illustrate how Iraqi officials, foreign companies and sometimes politicians allegedly contrived to allow the Iraqi government vast illicit gains.
The findings also reflect a growing understanding by investigators of the intricate schemes Saddam used to buy support abroad for a move to lift U.N. sanctions.
Coleman said the probe is just beginning and that officials aim to discover "how this massive fraud was able to thrive for so long." He said he is angry that the United Nations has not provided documents and access to officials that investigators need to move ahead.
Officials must get to the bottom of the allegations because, among other things, it will help the international community to better design future sanctions programs, some senators said.
"That humanitarian program was corrupted and exploited ... for the most horrible and aggressive purpose" of raising money for Saddam's military, said Sen. Joseph Lieberman Chairman Paul Volcker heads a panel that's conducting an independent investigation.
ping
Two letters: U-N
Are they serious? "Help the international community to better design future sanctions programs"?! We're talking about un-elected, corrupt bureaucrats here that intentionally designed it to be a scam!! What do they want--a detection-proof scam?!
The Democrats better hurry faster than that to get out in front of this story. Sending out the one speaker at their convention who deigned to use the word "liberate" with respect to Afghanistan and Iraq, a Democrat clearly out of the mainstream of the Democratic Party?
This is one example of the reason why terrorism grew so dramatically once it started to receive state-level support. The amounts of money involved are difficult to imagine when one is used to thinking in terms of that which is available to a business or an individual.
Saddam made $21 billion. What did Kofi and his son make? And anyone else connected to the oil-for-food billion dollar feed trough.
Click this picture & goto "last" for the latest UN scandals:
10% of the oil contract was the going rate.
Thanks for the ping!
Where's 60 Minutes and the rest of the MSM doing a big expose on this scandal? Wouldn't this be a great topic for a Michael Moore flick? (satire)
This is not news. Trying to figure out if Scott Peterson will file for an appeal is much more interesting. /sarcasm
Thanks for the ping to Cal.
TBB, did you see this one?
Thanks for the article, granny, I only heard a little about this on tv earlier today.
Awful lot of grifters in this world, starting with Saddam and continuing with those characters at the UN.
Can't wait to see where this leads.
When all is said and done,I bet this isn't the last total.The UN...worse than the League of Nations ever could have been.
Unless the investigation is followed through, and charges are brought against all involved, none of this will mean anything :(
That is a good point. I do long to see a good housecleaning though.
Forget it . . . the only realistic solution is to drop out of the UN.
Until we do, the corruption will continue.
After we do, they won't have the funds to support the institution and will, of necessity, close up shop.
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