[mjaneangels@aolcom]

One more thing.

"Annan, addressing a seminar on the United Nations and the media, said most of the money Saddam earned was by oil sold to Jordan and Turkey"

Jordan and Turkey were the recipients of this oil. They each have a common border with Iraq. How were we to have stopped this smuggling without boots on the ground?

[USNBandit]

An additional point is that since Turkey and Jordan are members of the U.N. that body has the responsibility to enforce its embargo.

Another issue which has not been brought up on the thread is that amount of oil smuggled out on small tankers down the Persian Gulf. Those tankers would sail inside Iranian territorial waters until they reached the bottom of the Gulf and then sprint across to the UAE. Yes Kofi, we could have interdicted them at the cost of war with Iran and losing basing rights in the UAE.

The analogy that best fits this situation is that Kofi Annan is like a crooked politician in city hall that takes money from the mafia and then bitches at the police for not arresting enough mafia henchmen.

[kabar]

Unfortunately, Kofi was correct. It was official US policy starting in the Clinton administration and continued under GWB to turn a blind eye to these sales to Turkey and Jordan. There is plenty of blame to go around.

Documents: U.S. condoned Iraq oil smuggling