Mister Pterodactyl
Monday, October 04, 2004
 
Update to my last post on UNSCAM: a couple days ago Instapundit linked to this NY Times article by Judith Miller, reporting on a briefing paper given to the House Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats and International Relations. The subcommittee is investigating the UN Oil for Food program. "The paper suggests that France, Russia and China blocked inquiries into Iraq's manipulation of the program because their companies 'had much to gain from maintaining' the status quo. 'Their businesses made billions of dollars through their involvement with the Hussein regime and O.F.F.P.,' the document states, using the initials for the program. No officials of the three governments could be reached for comment."

Then there’s this report from the Times of London, also via Instapundit, describing a leaked list of 200 individuals and companies that profited from the scam.
From the report: “the regime gave priority to Russia, China and France. This was because they were permanent members of, and hence had the ability to influence decisions made by, the UN Security Council. The regime . . . allocated ‘private oil’ to individuals or political parties that sympathised in some way with the regime.” Benon Sevan, Vladimir Putin, and Jacques Chirac are mentioned.
Quoted in the report, Claude Hankes-Drielsma, an Iraqi government adviser who worked on the investigation: “the records demonstrate that the UN oil-for-food programme provided Saddam with a vehicle to buy support internationally by bribing political parties, companies, journalists and other individuals . . .this shows the need for a complete review of the UN.”

Again, perhaps if the United States withheld its dues (22% of the UN's operating budget), it would help persuade the Secretariat to finally come clean.

[I know everybody already saw this on Instapundit, but hey, I'm always happy to help the big guy out.]

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