The book is an easy read and you'd enjoy it. I'm sorry that my notes (posted above) from the book aren't more detailed.
But Gertz was quite clear that the governments of Russia, China and France APPROVED the sale of the UN forbidden equipment. He gave the names of the companies and talked about how they are controlled by their governments.
Additionally Gertz talked about paperwork that was found in Iraq once we got there that showed just who did the selling and when and how it's been traced back to these countries...with their knowledge. Phone intercepts confirm that also.
It's why Rumsfeld was so angry at Old Europe (pertaining to France and Germany, not China, of course).
And that is where Gertz falls down. 'Phone intercepts'? Where is Gertz obtaining this info from? Sounds very much like journalistic padding. I remember when Gertz was harping on about A-10s being shot down by French supplied Roland missiles and trying to imply that these were factory fresh.
Was Gertz even aware that French Air Force Mirage IV recon aircraft were overflying Iraq on the run up to the conflict? It doesn't quite ring correct that France was directly supplying military equipment to Saddam and at the same time flying recon missions over Iraq.