Senate points to Russian officials in Iraq scam

reuters ^

[Dr. Frank fan]

The thrust is that Saddam was giving out bribes 0 that tehy would have been on our side if not for the bribes - big distortion.

Hmm. Another straw-man? I never said "they would have been on our side if not for the bribes" as an either-or thing. I don't honestly know one way or the other; who can say? Nevertheless it is folly to discount the economic motive as a factor in why they took the opposing side.

Take away all financial motives and what reason would Russia have had for opposing us, or even caring what goes on in Iraq in the first place? ...what reason would France have had for being so obstructionist? And what reason for Germany? I'm curious. If you have theories do share,

[jb6]

My wife is. So by proxy, maybe. :)

[dervish]

Arab oil money is buying off the same Security Council three from acting on the genocide in Sudan.

[Tunehead54]

RE: Germany's connection to OFF - I was discussing the scandal with a German couple in the Orlando area early during the scandal and they pointed out that the original Iraqi list had no germans on it. IIRC I checked and they were correct. Maybe if the Germans did anything they used the Swiss as intermediaries? ;-)

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[Tailgunner Joe]

Russia and China and France would have opposed authorization in the Security Council for an American invasion of Iraq for free no matter what.

Right. Because they are our enemies.

I am sure Putin knew but these bribes happened early in his presidency and he probably thought it wise to look the other way until he could replace these people he inherited from Yeltsin with his own people.

Putin was Yeltsin's hand-picked successor.

The Russians on the other hand were against invasion outright in public yet helped us with intel on Iraq.

Russia helped Saddam with intel. The Russians helped Saddam fight us because they are our enemy. They were on Saddam's side.

France also wants to limit America as the world's super power.

As does Russia. Russia and France are allies against the United States.

We may act like we had noble motive yet the world notices that our noble motives involve the control of the nation that controls the second largest oil reserves in the Middle East.

Classic anti-American commie war for oil bullshit! Go back to DU, pinko! Go back to Justin Raimondo and anti-war.com. Spew your anti-American filth to those stupid liberals who are moronic enough to buy it.

[Destro]

Well since you consider Lech Walesa a KGB spy then I am in good company on your enemies list.

[Tailgunner Joe]

I don't. I think Walesa was a hero. That means you are nothing but a two-bit smear merchant, commie punk.

[Tailgunner Joe]

You think you can smear and lie about people because they disagree with your commie-loving Russia First garbage? You're no Christian. Just a lying scum punk.

[JasonC]

Of course it was bribery. Paleo idiots are always apologizing for misbehaving foreign tyrants and their own country's enemies. Why don't you lot go start your own site and get out of ours? Better still, go to Russia and kiss Putin's feet all day, take his money, kiss his backside, whatever. Stop polluting our air.

[CJ Wolf]

The war in Kosovo was for oil. No need for the UN, didn't need the rest of the world to get it's hands dirty in that one.

[Tailgunner Joe]

Hear, hear! Away with Russia First sycophants and traitors. Let them start their own site: RussiaFirst.com

[Destro]

Yes, Kosovo was in part about control of future oil pipeline routes.

[JasonC]

Right, because there is so much oil flowing through Kosovo today. Get a new brain, this one isn't getting it done.

[Destro]

Lech Walesa Files Charges Against Station (They Claim He Collaborated with Secret Police/Communists)

Sorry, I keep mistaking you for TapTheSource.

[Destro]

There will be.

[Destro]

Sorry for not caring that the UN's sanctions were violated. I come from the Republican party that was against sanction on South Africa for apartheid so I can't be a hypocrite and support them for Iraq. All the Clinton era sanctions did was kill Iraqi children.

Why should Saddam's Iraq have sold their oil under the UN to her enemies that wanted to invade and occupy their nation? To call that a bribe is the height of Orwellian "new speak".

[CJ Wolf]

"Pipeline"? River access to europe you mean.

[Tailgunner Joe]

All the Clinton era sanctions did was kill Iraqi children.

More anti-American Saddamite crap. What commie rag did you read that in, The Nation?

[JasonC]

They were under embargo, ordered by the UN, only legally entitled to sell oil to help feed the Iraqi people, whom they constantly wailed were being starved to death. Which was brazen lying by the Iraqis, and braven two faced hypocrasy by those UN members voting for one, and taking the other. In case everybody forgot, Russia approved everything done on the subject. They had a veto and chose not to exercise it. They just wanted to say one thing publicly, and do another under the table. For the money. Then they, and you, accuse the US of only caring about the oil. They are rank hypocrits and so are you.

[JasonC]

He's not a commie, he is a Zhiro and Putin worshipping neo Nazi - they pass themselves off as "paleos" these days to appear more respectable. They aren't.