Ron 10 #1 October 11, 2004 http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/10/06/iraq.wmd.un.vouchers.ap/index.html NEW YORK (AP) -- The top U.S. arms inspector has accused the former head of the $60 billion U.N. oil-for-food program of accepting bribes in the form of vouchers for Iraqi oil sales from Saddam Hussein's government. The report by Charles Duelfer, head of the Iraq Survey Group, alleges the Iraqi government manipulated the U.N. program from 1996 to 2003 in order to acquire billions of dollars in illicit gains and to import illegal goods, including acquiring parts for missile systems. The alleged schemes included an Iraqi system for allocating lucrative oil vouchers, which permitted recipients to purchase certain amounts of oil at a profit. Benon Sevan, the former chief of the U.N. program, is among dozens of people who allegedly received the vouchers, according to the report, which said Saddam personally approved the list. The secret voucher program was dominated by Russian, French and Chinese recipients, in that order, with Saddam spreading the wealth widely to prominent business men, politicians, foreign government ministries and political parties, the report said. The report names former French Interior Minister Charles Pasqua, Indonesian president Megawati Sukarnoputri, and the Russian radical political figure Vladimir Zhirinovsky as voucher recipients, for example, and other foreign governments range from Yemen to Namibia. The governments of Jordan, Syria, Turkey and Egypt did a brisk illicit oil trade with Iraq as well -- more than $8 billion from 1991 until 2003, the report said. "These governments were full parties to all aspects of Iraq's unauthorized oil exports and imports," it said. The officials whose names have emerged in the face of multiple ongoing investigations of corruption in the U.N. oil-for-food program have previously denied wrongdoing. The program was designed to allow limited oil sales to pay for humanitarian goods. Asked about the fresh allegations against Sevan, U.N. spokesman Fred Eckhard said the organization wouldn't talk about specifics and noted Paul Volcker, the former chief of the U.S. Federal Reserve, was conducting an independent investigation at the U.N.'s request. "We are not going to comment on any specific allegation against Mr. Sevan or anyone else," Eckhard said. "This is in the hands of Paul Volcker. We are cooperating with him fully. Benon Sevan is cooperating with him fully, and we will wait for Volcker's judgment. Benon, meanwhile, stands by his statement that he's done nothing wrong." According to the Duelfer report, which got its information from the former Iraqi oil ministry, Sevan allegedly received vouchers for 7.3 million barrels of oil through various companies and representatives recommended to Iraqi ministries by Sevan. The financial take would have been in the range of $700,000 to $2 million, depending on oil prices. Critics of the oil-for-food program and U.S. congressional investigators have long alleged that administration of the program was rife with corruption and failed to prevent illicit business deals and massive kickbacks to the Iraqi government. The report said, "Saddam was able to subvert the UN OFF (oil-for-food) program to generate an estimated $1.7 billion in revenue outside U.N. control from 1997-2003." And it said the voucher program, "provided Saddam with a useful method of rewarding countries, organizations and individuals willing to cooperate with Iraq to subvert U.N. sanctions." "Once the oil for food program began, it provided all kind of levers for him (Saddam) to manipulate his way out of sanctions," Duelfer told Congress on Wednesday. Congressional investigators praised Duelfer's report. "Mr. Duelfer's conclusions show the full breadth of Saddam Hussein's corruption and manipulation of the U.N. Oil for Food program," said Henry Hyde, R-Ill., who chairs the House International Relations Committee. Reports that Sevan had received oil vouchers first emerged in January when the Iraqi daily Al-Mada newspaper published a list of alleged recipients. But Duelfer's report provides new details and a new degree of credibility. In April, the United Nations appointed Volcker to head the independent investigation of the growing scandal. Four congressional panels have also been investigating the corruption and accusations that Saddam used leverage from the program to influence foreign governments and particularly members of the Security Council, who would vote whether to maintain sanctions."No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
happythoughts 0 #2 October 11, 2004 QuoteThe governments of Jordan, Syria, Turkey and Egypt did a brisk illicit oil trade with Iraq as well -- more than $8 billion from 1991 until 2003, the report said. It sounds like the sanctions were working. A little something will always fall through the cracks. $8 billion isn't really that much, is it ? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TheAnvil 0 #3 October 11, 2004 OK everyone. Now, when Monsieur sKerry claims that he would have gotten our ally[sic] France onboard for the Iraq war, remember to laugh at him all the harder and think 'f-ing idiot'. The UN - what a joke. Vinny the Anvil Post Traumatic Didn't Make The Lakers Syndrome is REAL JACKASS POWER!!!!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rhino 0 #4 October 11, 2004 This is precisely why the UN won't work... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
christelsabine 1 #5 October 11, 2004 QuoteOK everyone. Now, when Monsieur sKerry claims that he would have gotten our ally[sic] France onboard for the Iraq war, remember to laugh at him all the harder and think 'f-ing idiot'. The UN - what a joke. OK, Mr. TheAnvil,, just one question: How the hell will you call your new president? John sKerry? Oh no, that will be no longer appropriate! What I just saw in TV news is, it might be Kerry to be the one. John Kerry, President of the US. Hope for the best, expext the worst. dudeist skydiver # 3105 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
happythoughts 0 #6 October 11, 2004 QuoteThis is precisely why the UN won't work... A while back, a lot of people were saying "no, no, we should let the sanctions work for a while". Others were saying "the sanctions aren't working. Iraq is manipulating the UN like fools". Now we know. The people in charge of the program for the UN were not being manipulated, they were in on it. They were more than happy to let the sanctions continue. Not because they the sanctions were working, but because they were making money on it. The point of the sanctions was supposed to be to enforce the wishes of the UN. Even without this new knowledge, why wouldn't people recognize that they were ineffective after 12 years? It turns out that SH did have money to feed and care for his own people. The problems that Iraq had with medical care and nutrition were not because of lack of money. Everyone was blaming that on the sanctions. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ron 10 #7 October 11, 2004 QuoteJohn Kerry, President of the US. Hope for the best, expext the worst. Yes, I hope Bush will win, but I am selling some stocks just in case sKerry wins."No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhillyKev 0 #8 October 11, 2004 QuoteQuoteJohn Kerry, President of the US. Hope for the best, expext the worst. Yes, I hope Bush will win, but I am selling some stocks just in case sKerry wins. Good idea, the artificially inflated stock market being propped up by temporary and unsustainable policies will most likely sink to normal levels when we have more sound fiscal policies in place that will provide for continued growth instead of an artificial high destined for a crash. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ron 10 #9 October 11, 2004 QuoteGood idea, the artificially inflated stock market being propped up by temporary and unsustainable policies will most likely sink to normal levels when we have more sound fiscal policies in place that will provide for continued growth instead of an artificial high destined for a crash. Read as: If Kerry wins he will want to tax the shit out of you, so most small investors will jump out of the market. This will drive the market down and the increase in the intrest rate will skyrocket making it harder to invest since you will be paying more to own what you already own now. This will make the stock market start back into the recession that Bush stopped when he came into office. Also Kerry's weak policy on terrorism will make the next attack cause a much greater economic drop."No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
christelsabine 1 #10 October 11, 2004 Quote Yes, I hope Bush will win, but I am selling some stocks just in case sKerry wins It's clever to be open into every direction. Dare to bet, Ron? If yes, pls PM me. Christel dudeist skydiver # 3105 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
happythoughts 0 #11 October 11, 2004 Kerry "let's work with the UN" Working with the UN accomplished: 1. Less than nothing in Iraq. It allowed SH to become richer while treating his own countrymen deplorably. And the bonus - he blamed his countries suffering on the UN while building lavish dwellings and socking away huge sums of money. 2. Getting people killed in Somalia. Reinforcing an already poor image of the US military. The "kill a few and they will leave" idea. This is dangerous because you lose the deterrent value of your military. It costs more lives later. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TheAnvil 0 #12 October 11, 2004 I'll just pretend the F stands for something more obscene than 'Forbes' if that happens. Vinny the Anvil Post Traumatic Didn't Make The Lakers Syndrome is REAL JACKASS POWER!!!!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
christelsabine 1 #13 October 11, 2004 Quote I'll just pretend the F stands for something more obscene than 'Forbes' if that happens. "F"? which "F" ? What did I miss? And more obscene? Wow! dudeist skydiver # 3105 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MC208B 0 #14 October 12, 2004 Okay Mr. PhillyKev, didn't the stock market hit 11,700 during President Clintons term? Was that "artificial" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tunaplanet 0 #15 October 12, 2004 Quotethe artificially inflated stock market being propped up by temporary and unsustainable policies will most likely sink to normal levels when we have more sound fiscal policies in place Already have your excuse ready for if Flipper fails, huh? We'll add that to the list of excuses like Kallend's, "If Bush wins it's because the US has low IQs." Forty-two Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TheAnvil 0 #16 October 12, 2004 'F' is Kerry's middle initial...if I leave off his first name, I can always refer to him as 'F-ing Kerry' Vinny the Anvil Post Traumatic Didn't Make The Lakers Syndrome is REAL JACKASS POWER!!!!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peacefuljeffrey 0 #17 October 12, 2004 QuoteQuoteThis is precisely why the UN won't work... A while back, a lot of people were saying "no, no, we should let the sanctions work for a while". Others were saying "the sanctions aren't working. Iraq is manipulating the UN like fools". Now we know. The people in charge of the program for the UN were not being manipulated, they were in on it. Maybe as punishment we should no longer let the U.N. give out the Nobel Peace Prize... -Jeffrey-Jeffrey "With tha thoughts of a militant mind... Hard line, hard line after hard line!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peacefuljeffrey 0 #18 October 12, 2004 QuoteQuoteQuoteJohn Kerry, President of the US. Hope for the best, expext the worst. Yes, I hope Bush will win, but I am selling some stocks just in case sKerry wins. Good idea, the artificially inflated stock market being propped up by temporary and unsustainable policies will most likely sink to normal levels when we have more sound fiscal policies in place that will provide for continued growth instead of an artificial high destined for a crash. Wait, I thought that the economy was supposedly in the toilet because of Bush... Now you're saying it's been doing artificially well?? Holy shit you really like to have it both ways, don'cha?! If the economy is running like shit, it's Bush's fault; if it's running high and hot, it's headed for a big crash and that too is Bush's fault. -Jeffrey-Jeffrey "With tha thoughts of a militant mind... Hard line, hard line after hard line!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nacmacfeegle 0 #19 October 12, 2004 "Yeah the UN sucks." Difficult argument to defend against, okay, so does anyone have any alternatives up their sleeves as a replacement for the UN?-------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skydyvr 0 #20 October 12, 2004 Quote. . . so does anyone have any alternatives up their sleeves as a replacement for the UN? Just kicking their asses out of the US would be a positive beginning. . . =(_8^(1) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
