Iraqi govt. papers: Saddam bribed Chirac

Washington Times - UPI ^ | Jan. 28, 2004

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

BAGHDAD, Iraq, Jan. 28 (UPI) -- Documents from Saddam Hussein's oil ministry reveal he used oil to bribe top French officials into opposing the imminent U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.

The oil ministry papers, described by the independent Baghdad newspaper al-Mada, are apparently authentic and will become the basis of an official investigation by the new Iraqi Governing Council, the Independent reported Wednesday.

[cookcounty]

It's common knowledge in France that Chirac was forced run for re-election last time (a 7-year term!) because under French law, a sitting President is shielded from any indictment for corruption. There are several very serious bribery charges waitng for him down the road---now there is yet another charge.

[Cobra64]

Only Bush and Cheney can be accused of being motivated by oil profits.

What makes you say that?

[Grampa Dave]

Would you please post your LeMonde article on this issue in this thread.

Thank you!

[Grampa Dave]

FYI

[justshutupandtakeit]

No, you just have bad eyesight apparently since "bribe" is in the FIRST LINE of the story.

[LouD]

NO PEACE FOR OIL!

[bray]

But, but, but the frenchies were only making their moral stand in the name of Peace. Surely they would never have oily fingers?? Next thing their going to say that Coffee Annon is being greased. Ok, Ok as long as we can count on PravdABDNC being unbiased and the world is fine!

Wonder how long before Yaaawn Cash & Kerry is outraged that this is why we had to go "unilaterally"???

Pray for W and The Truth

[the Real fifi]

http://www.lemonde.fr/web/article/0,1-0@2-3218,36-350628,0.html">http://www.lemonde.fr/web/article/0,1-0@2-3218,36-350628,0.html

[MinuteGal]

Captain Louis Renault (Claude Rains): "This is the end of the chase".

Rick Blaine (Bogie): "Twenty thousand francs says it isn't".

Capt. Renault: "Is that a series offer?"

Rick: "I just paid out twenty. I'd like to get it back".

Capt. Renault: "Make it ten thousand francs. I'm only a poor corrupt official".

Leni

[The G Man]

Has Terry McCauliffe's name shown up yet?

[Paradox]

No, you just have bad eyesight apparently since "bribe" is in the FIRST LINE of the story.

I said 'Nowhere in the body does it say that "Saddam bribed Chirac".'

The first line says
Documents from Saddam Hussein's oil ministry reveal he used oil to bribe top French officials into opposing the imminent U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.

I'm right. Believe me, I would LOVE to see Chirac nailed to the wall, I just dont think the title is correct on the article. Gave me false hope..

[Grampa Dave]

I can't get your links to work.

Would you please post the whole article here.

Thanks.

[woofie]

I read it it carefully ..I think they have official papers showing France was more concerned with oil than principals ....case closed

[thackney]

"Saddam bribed Chirac" ping

[woofie]

Anti-War Nations 'Took Bribes' Before War Began
Independent (UK) ^ | 1-28-2004 | Anne Penketh


Posted on 01/27/2004 5:16:07 PM PST by blam


Anti-war nations 'took bribes' before war began

Investigation launched into claims that Saddam Hussein used oil to win support around the world

By Anne Penketh
28 January 2004


Claims that dozens of politicians, including some from prominent anti-war countries such as France, had taken bribes to support Saddam Hussein are to be investigated by the Iraqi authorities. The US-backed Iraqi Governing Council decided to check after an independent Baghdad newspaper, al-Mada, published a list which it said was based on oil ministry documents.

The 46 individuals, companies and organisations inside and outside Iraq were given millions of barrels of oil, the documents show. Thousands of papers were looted from the State Oil Marketing Organisation after Baghdad fell to US forces on 9 April.

"I think the list is true," Naseer Chaderji, a Governing Council member, said. "I will demand an investigation. These people must be prosecuted." Rumours had circulated for months that documents implicating senior French individuals were about to surface. Such evidence would undermine the French position before the war when President Jacques Chirac staked out the moral high ground in opposing the invasion.

A senior Bush administration official said Washington was aware of the reports but refused further comment. Another US source said that incriminating oil ministry documents allegedly implicating France concerned the two-year period before the war, when the UN sanctions were in danger of collapse.

French diplomats have dismissed any suggestion that their foreign policy was influenced by payments from Saddam. The French have always insisted their anti-war stance did not mean support for Saddam. But British diplomats suspected France's steadfast opposition to the war was driven by something other than the reasons stated by President Chirac. "Oil runs thicker than blood," is how one former ambassador put his suspicions about the French motives for opposing action against Saddam.

The list quoted by al-Mada included members of Arab ruling families, religious organisations, politicians and political parties from Egypt, Jordan, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Sudan, China, Austria, France and other countries. But no names were available last night.

Organisations named include the Russian Orthodox Church and the Russian Communist Party, India's Congress Party and the Palestine Liberation Organisation. The United States and Britain launched the war on Iraq on 19 March, 2003 without UN approval after tense negotiations in the Security Council collapsed in the face of a veto threat from France. France's relations with Britain and the US deteriorated to their worst point in decades over the Iraq rift, and have yet to heal.

China, another Security Council permanent member with veto power which is named by al-Mada, was also opposed to the Iraq invasion. Arab countries, in addition to France, had warned of the risk of instability spreading throughout the Middle East as a result of the war. Turkey, a Nato member, was a crucial player because of the opposition to the war among its Muslim majority population. There is the possibility that the documents in al-Mada are forgeries. At present there is almost a war of documents under way as Iraqis come to the realisation that they could be used as blackmail or as a settling of scores. And the leak of the documents could be a manipulation by the US-backed authorities in Iraq to discredit France.

The Iraqi authorities will be keen to interview prominent Iraqi officials held by the Coalition Provisional Authority who could shed light on illegal payments. Those officials include the former oil minister, Amer Mohammed Rashid. Assem Jihad, an oil ministry spokesman, said the documents stolen from his ministry may prove Saddam used bribery to gain support. "Anyone stealing Iraqi wealth will be prosecuted," he said.

Although under sanctions from the 1990 invasion of Kuwait until after the second Gulf War, the Iraqi government could sell oil under a UN agreement that proceeds from the oil sales be used to buy food, medicine and basic supplies.

Some international companies selling goods to Iraq may have paid commissions to Iraqi officials that were deposited in Arab banks in exchange for contracts under the oil for food deal. A paper trail should exist.

Saddam smuggled out billions of dollars worth of oil through Turkey, a Syrian pipeline and Iranian coastal waters. The Americans turned a blind eye to the smuggling via Turkey, because they needed to keep their Nato ally on board.

---

[Starrgaizr]

No Peace for Oil!

[philosofy123]

The truth! You can't handle the truth!!!

the Russian Orthodox Church!!! That is the truth, the dictator was not a fanatic Islamist. The fanatic Islamists leaders of Saudi Arabia, Iran, Egypt, Sudan...are all free to do their evil work against us. Stop dumping on Chirac! Dump on the Saudis, please! Show me how much money the Saudi contributed to any church. They will not even allow the bilding of one church on their filthy soils. We let them build thousands of mosques! Get the truth. We are the bitch in the Saudi/American relationship!

[eureka!]

Re#56 Yep. Oh, to see that donor list...

[Preachin']

Does anyone doubt that the dems in Washington did not know this already? They only regret that they weren't offered the same bribe.

[Paradox]

I believe it too, I just want to see a straight trail to the top (Chirac). I dont want any room for "plausible deniability".