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April 23, 2004
Fact or Fiction?
The Sun reckons it knows the real reason why some countries such as France and Russia vehemently opposed the war in Iraq.SHOCK revelations of corruption at the heart of the UN's Iraq aid project help explain French and Russian opposition to the war.
UN officials, French diplomats and Vladimir Putin's Kremlin were all accused of being bribed with cash earmarked for starving children.
Secret Iraqi files giving details of oil deals list the names of 45 Russians and 11 French citizens.
These would appear to be very convenient 'secret files'. Now I could be accused of being cynical, but let's take a look at this scenario. A pro-American regime, soon to be handed limited power by the US and UK, turns up documents incriminating those countries opposed to the war. While they could be genuine documents, I would treat any newly discovered 'secret' documents with a healthy degree of scepticism given the current state of affairs in Iraq.
Both countries' leaders vetoed a UN Security Council resolution in 2003 backing war and have continued to criticise the invasion. Under the scam, Iraq sold oil under UN supervision for food and medicines.
Two valid yet unrelated statements, with the Sun attempting to us guilt by association. The countries vetoed the war, so must be implicated in the scam, but the converse is true, the two countries could be implicated in the scam because they opposed the war.
But it could choose its own middlemen, who raked off 10 per cent from sales and gave it to Saddam.
Very generous middlemen, giving their tithes to Saddam. In return for what? The Sun doesn't say.
Russian oil dealers received 2.5billion barrels of crude while French traders pocketed 165million barrels.
Given that the US and UK appeared to be hell-bent on blowing seven shades out of Iraq, and were enforcing no-fly zones, is it any wonder that they chose more sympathetic nations to deal with.
According to documents, Saddam also bribed influential figures by handing them vouchers for goods illegally imported into Iraq in defiance of UN sanctions.
More 'secret' documents. And just what could Saddam offer them that they couldn't get elsewhere? As far as I can see, this piece is just another bunch of allegations being pushed by a pro-war, anti-European media group. They carry about as much credibility as an election manifesto i.e. none to speak of.
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Posted by Clive on April 23, 2004 1:30 PM in the category Old Stuff