Oil for what???

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Bill Glasheen
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Oil for what???

Post by Bill Glasheen »

Have you been following the "oil-for-food" program investigation? This just keeps getting better and better...
Annan 'Very Disappointed' With Son
Tuesday, November 30, 2004
Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS — Secretary-General Kofi Annan said he was unaware his son received $30,000 a year for over five years from a Swiss-based company under investigation in connection with suspected corruption in the U.N. oil-for-food program in Iraq.

The disclosure of the payments was the latest embarrassment for Annan and the United Nations related to the program to help Iraqis cope with U.N. sanctions imposed after Saddam Hussein's 1990 invasion of Kuwait.

Annan told reporters Monday that he had been working on the understanding that payments to his son, Kojo Annan, from Cotecna Inspection S.A. stopped in 1998 "and I had not expected that the relationship continued."

But on Friday, U.N. spokesman Fred Eckhard said Kojo Annan's lawyer had informed the independent panel appointed by the secretary-general to investigate allegations of corruption in the oil-for-food program that the younger Annan continued to receive monthly payments through February 2004.

***
But we all know that "sanctions" were working... And there were no terrorists in Iraq.... And Saddam had no WMDs, or intent to make them... And France, Germany, Russia, and China were right all along...

And what's all this business about vouchers? Please don't confuse me with the facts. WE were the bad guys, after all. (And ignore the man behind the curtain!!!)

Interesting seeing al-Jazeera avoid stories about the blood-spattered torture chambers found recently in Fallujah, and the 80 (eighty) percent of mosques in that city teaming with weapons. But they DID have time to put on a nice little video of Bin Laden's lieutenant al-Zawahri. He was reasonable... All he asked was for "mutual respect and exchange of interests."

Suuurrre....

- Bill
Valkenar
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Re: Oil for what???

Post by Valkenar »

Bill Glasheen wrote: But we all know that "sanctions" were working... And there were no terrorists in Iraq.... And Saddam had no WMDs, or intent to make them... And France, Germany, Russia, and China were right all along...

And what's all this business about vouchers? Please don't confuse me with the facts. WE were the bad guys, after all.
Well corruption in the U.N. is hardly an excuse to invade iraq. It's a reason for anger at France, the U.N, and anyone else on the take. If the sanctions aren't working because they're being abused by the people who are supposed to be enforcing them, then isn't the problem is with the enforcers and not the sanctions themselves?

Not that sanctions would neccesarily be worth a damn anyway, but they certainly won't be worth a damn if they're being abused left and right.
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Bill Glasheen
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Post by Bill Glasheen »

Unfortunately the history of sanctions is spotty at best. All it takes is one cheater.

And when you have folks actually on the take, folks who are supposed to be honorable and in charge, folks who by their selfish actions cause benefit to the guilty and harm to the innocent...

And the sad thing is, this is only what we know about.

Indeed, Justin, immorality begats immorality. "Justification" becomes only a convenience. You shouldn't be surprised things turned out as they did.

- Bill
Valkenar
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Post by Valkenar »

Bill Glasheen wrote: Indeed, Justin, immorality begats immorality. "Justification" becomes only a convenience. You shouldn't be surprised things turned out as they did.
Apalled, yes. Surprised? Certainly not. I expect no end of treachery from those in power.
cxt
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Post by cxt »

Bill

Another thing that was pointed out to me about the last go-round of attacks and beheadings as covered by Al-Jeezera.

They did NOT show the the beheading of middle easterners, nor did they show footage of the bodies of dead Iraqi police.

Seems that showing the terrorists killing non-western folks somehow undermines the terrorist message.

Go figure.
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Bill Glasheen
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Post by Bill Glasheen »

Fair and balanced? Perhaps they've fallen and they can't get up! :lol:

- Bill
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