U.N. OIL PAPERS VANISH
Back to the International Organizations Page
By NILES LATHEMApril 29, 2004 -- WASHINGTON - The vast majority of the United Nations' oil-for-food contracts in Iraq have mysteriously vanished, crippling investigators trying to uncover fraud in the program, a government report charged yesterday.
The General Accounting Office report, presented at a congressional hearing into the scandal-plagued program, determined that 80 percent of U.N. records had not been turned over.
The world body claims it transferred all information it had - including 3,059 contracts worth about $6.2 billion for delivery of food and other civilian goods to the post-Saddam governing body, the Coalition Provisional Authority.
But the GAO report also found that a database the U.N. transferred to the authority was "unreliable because it contained mathematical and currency errors in calculation of contract costs," the report found.
The GAO findings, which were aired at a hearing of the House International Relations Committee, raise new questions about corruption and mismanagement in the biggest-ever U.N. aid program - and what has been called the biggest financial scandal in history. An earlier GAO report said Saddam ripped off over $10 billion.
Committee Chairman Henry Hyde said the report raised serious concerns - and could have "a potential impact on the reputation and credibility of the United Nations."
"If these charges prove true, some of the obvious victims are those Iraqis who failed to receive needed assistance," Hyde (R-Ill.) said.
"But the damage extends further. The massive windfall resulting from this organized theft allowed Saddam to maintain his grip on the country, line his pockets and make companies and countries dance to his tune, with consequences we are still trying to contain."
Investigators are interested in Benon Sevan, the U.N. official who managed the program. Sevan denied wrongdoing after his name appeared on an Iraqi newspaper's list of several officials, businessmen and others who profited from the program.
The oil-for-food program, which the U.N. ran from 1997 until the war, allowed Iraq to sell oil in order to buy food and other civilian goods - thereby easing the sanctions imposed after the 1991 Gulf War.
A former oil-for-food program coordinator testified at yesterday's hearing that in the early stages his U.N. superiors were openly hostile to U.S. efforts to contain Saddam.
"For reasons I have yet to fully understand, several U.N. leaders approached the implementation of the oil-for-food program with more distrust towards the United Kingdom and United States than towards the regime of Saddam Hussein," Michael Soussan said.
U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan fired back.
"If you read the reports, it looks as if the Saddam regime had nothing to do with it. They did nothing wrong - it was all the U.N.," Annan said.
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Reply 1 - Posted by: PoliticalGeek, 4/29/2004 12:01:19 PM
What's it going to take, folks?
Is anybody outraged yet?
Anybody?
Reply 2 - Posted by: Allegra, 4/29/2004 12:01:56 PM
Read the whole thing - it's a STUNNING report. Over 3,000 contracts mysteriously disappear, info turned over is unusable, Kofi Annan is saying Saddam did nothing wrong, it was all the UN, and of course, the US and Britain are 'bad'.
Reply 3 - Posted by: Sardonic, 4/29/2004 12:06:12 PM
And this is a surprise?
Reply 4 - Posted by: felix318, 4/29/2004 12:08:54 PM
Contracts vanish? Hillary couldn't have done it better.
Reply 5 - Posted by: pepperblue, 4/29/2004 12:09:35 PM
This is way too big to hide forever. I prefer the information dribbles out in the months and years to come -- it will keep these criminals cowering in their corners.
Reply 6 - Posted by: Burger, 4/29/2004 12:09:40 PM
I am outraged.
the UN is toast.
Reply 7 - Posted by: convert, 4/29/2004 12:10:24 PM
This is the story of the decade, folks! IT'S AN OUTRAGE--NOT JUST THE UN< I MEAN THE MEDIA'S OBVIOUS ATTEMPT TO IGNORE THIS AS LONG AS POSSIBLE> UNBELIEVABLE! I'm sorry for yelling; the bias and irresponsibility and unprofessionalism of "journalists" are just infuriating.
Reply 8 - Posted by: hailing frequencies open, 4/29/2004 12:10:47 PM
We just need to send Hans Blix in to find them ...snort...snicker...guffaw
Reply 9 - Posted by: Wacko, 4/29/2004 12:11:24 PM
Anybody seeing anything other than in the NY Post?
Reply 10 - Posted by: god of irony, 4/29/2004 12:12:51 PM
And Kerry wants them in charge of our security.
Reply 11 - Posted by: Sam Ditto, 4/29/2004 12:13:02 PM
The DEMS are protecting KOFI, at the hearing yesterday, saying he would never do anything like what has been reported, and YOU don't have any EVIDENCE !!
The UN and the Dems are in Cahoots !!
Reply 12 - Posted by: little gilbert, 4/29/2004 12:13:34 PM
I hope that nut job Kerry keeps spouting off that he will immediately go to the UN and kneel down before them and...you know the rest.
Reply 13 - Posted by: gobushcheneygo, 4/29/2004 12:13:57 PM
According to Kofi - Saddam did nothing wrong with the oil for food program????? It's all a UN snafu? Where's the outrage????
Reply 14 - Posted by: GreatWhiteNorth, 4/29/2004 12:15:49 PM
U.N. employees should be jailed for this.
Reply 15 - Posted by: MsFalconersCabanaBoy, 4/29/2004 12:18:09 PM
Ah...the moral arbiters to which Kerry and the Dems want us evermore tightly bound.
Reply 16 - Posted by: bbinsf, 4/29/2004 12:26:50 PM
Then US payments to the UN disappears, too, until those records show up! The UN is a criminal organization!
Reply 17 - Posted by: vaughan, 4/29/2004 12:27:09 PM
Remember all those feverish visits by French and Russian delegations to Iraq during 2002, as an invasion began to appear imminent? I sure do. L-dotters suspected then, as now, that the destruction of incriminating evidence was high on their to-do list. My bet is they weren't able to destroy it all. Criminals always leave behind clues. Always.
Reply 18 - Posted by: mrp, 4/29/2004 12:27:12 PM
Hillary!, in the Map Room, with a flamethrower.
Reply 19 - Posted by: Bill Schafer, 4/29/2004 12:30:21 PM
Poor, Poor Kofi; he is standing there naked saying its all Sadams fault, Sadam is the blame for people working for the U.N. being seduced by the Billions of Dollars that Sadam threw their way. I mean , what do you expect from those previledged enough to work at the U.N.; you expect them to not be corrupted, what you say? you expect them to be honest!!! Ha , Ha , remember these are not Americans.
Reply 20 - Posted by: Christie, 4/29/2004 12:31:14 PM
What?...Sounds like Hilly was involved, or maybe I shouldn't jump to that wild accusation...Dubya did it.
Reply 21 - Posted by: Coral Pink, 4/29/2004 12:33:48 PM
Suspend relations with the UN until they cough up the documents.
Reply 22 - Posted by: miceal, 4/29/2004 12:36:53 PM
What was that? Sounds of a large shredder working overtime...
Reply 23 - Posted by: Happy Katy, 4/29/2004 12:37:22 PM
Just saw tail end of Kofi saying something on TV about amnesty being needed for somebody before cooperation will be given??
Must be for his deputy, but I missed the whole statement.
KOFI NEEDS TO RESIGN AND BE KICKED OUT. He was the person in charge at the start of this program before he was even made head of the U.N. HE IS CORRUPT and now trying to protect all the Socialists/Communists etc.
from being outed.
Reply 24 - Posted by: schnapps, 4/29/2004 12:37:27 PM
All the records in Iraq are still intact because Saddam was using the shredders for, shall we say, other purposes?
Reply 25 - Posted by: petie3, 4/29/2004 12:42:54 PM
We have to thank a couple of intrepid Arab-speaking reporters for the Telegraph for this entire expose' (sorry for the french word). That they deserve a Pulitzer if not a Nobel is beyond obviousl.
Reply 26 - Posted by: Penney, 4/29/2004 12:45:52 PM
The U.N.'s oil-for-food CONTRACTS have mysteriously vanished, along with the money?! ...Sounds like the way the dems have mismanaged Missouri tax payers' $$$ during the past decade!
At least now we can vote out the state scalliwags but no one holds the thoroughly corrupt U.N. to account. INCREDIBLE! The new policy should be: No accountability, NO MONEY!
Reply 27 - Posted by: JimK, 4/29/2004 12:51:40 PM
80% of the contracts missing, eh? Wouldn't you just love to have the office equipment contract for the UN? They must have placed a gargantuan order for shredders in the past few weeks!
Reply 28 - Posted by: John McCall, 4/29/2004 12:57:24 PM
TND
And do we expect our government to withhold funding to the UN till this is resolved......?
I plan to vote against my congressional members, regardless, unless I hear some thing from them resembling action on this matter.
Reply 29 - Posted by: gusman, 4/29/2004 12:58:00 PM
Everyone needs to contact Their US Rep and Senator and demand that we stop funding the UN and make arrangemtns to pull out of this useless organization.
Reply 30 - Posted by: Delilah, 4/29/2004 1:03:36 PM
Odd how so many or us had the same thought - Hillary must be involved. She's taught us well.
Reply 31 - Posted by: nattering_nabob, 4/29/2004 1:04:57 PM
Too bad we can't the UN building into an industrial shredder. Maybe then we'll be done with it.
Reply 32 - Posted by: jdh, 4/29/2004 1:22:31 PM
Where are all of the people that were so outraged at the US for starving the Iraqi children? Who were the groups -- Doctors without borders or some such group, among others, were very vocal a few years ago.
Reply 33 - Posted by: ShowMeGuy, 4/29/2004 1:24:00 PM
Here's the email I sent my local newspaper and the response:
MESSAGE:
Has the News-Leader ran a single story about this growing, global scandal?
REPLY:
I have passed along the story and link to the wire editor for him to check
on.
Reply 34 - Posted by: lelande, 4/29/2004 1:25:39 PM
Anyone surprised? Don't they have to keep records. Tell Jesse Jackson, the black rep from Illinois to get his teeth into this one, help his country and leave Americans alone. But, he won't.
Reply 35 - Posted by: veritas, 4/29/2004 1:27:49 PM
#31: would an AC-130 do?
Reply 36 - Posted by: janylou, 4/29/2004 1:30:58 PM
A page right out of the HillBilly handbook. And #23, if he asked for amnesty for anyone, it would probably be for his son who was also involved.
Reply 37 - Posted by: Harmony1, 4/29/2004 1:32:42 PM
The Corruption and Criminal activities get worse every day.....Kofi Anan just *CLINTONIZED* the EVIDENCE OF FRAUD. Kofi can't have his own son locked up for misuse, can he? ...sarcasm off.....
We should have the UN surrounded and every VIP within the UN should be locked up until somebody talks.
Reply 38 - Posted by: geo11, 4/29/2004 1:33:07 PM
One would have to be born yesterday to think the UN would turn over any incriminating evidence on itself.
Saddam has the list of names and amounts, maybe follow the money trail if possible. Kofi was up to his eyebrows in this, what a bunch of theiving hypocrites.
Reply 39 - Posted by: GoPack, 4/29/2004 1:34:28 PM
That's alright. I'm sure the Dems will be hot on this trail just like they were Bush's National Guard records.
Reply 40 - Posted by: Freedom First, 4/29/2004 1:36:02 PM
Rent a big boat, a bunch of buseses, a few trucks and move this bunch of corrupt socialists and tryannt toadies to heck off American soil. That organization has absolutely zero credability. ZERO!
Reply 41 - Posted by: Bucolic Buffalo, 4/29/2004 1:50:48 PM
The only thing that will get the UN's attention is the US government immedeately stop all US funds goint to the UN and The immedeate expulsion from NEW YORK if they threaten to if they threaten any santions against the US.
Reply 42 - Posted by: MeanWestTexan, 4/29/2004 1:56:23 PM
Check the closet where Hillary "found" the Rose Law Firm billing records.
Reply 43 - Posted by: tatterdemalion, 4/29/2004 2:02:11 PM
I sure wish that Bush would make some statement about this whole deal.
Reply 44 - Posted by: Allegra, 4/29/2004 2:14:55 PM
He will...when it's the right time to do it.
Reply 45 - Posted by: Photoonist, 4/29/2004 2:32:55 PM
The only way this could be settled would be for the diplomatic immunity of those UN officials involved to be revoked and for them to be leaned on and not permitted to travel. And who sees that as likely happening?
Reply 46 - Posted by: hansumjoe, 4/29/2004 2:42:40 PM
LOL # 45...Lethal Weapon 2, as Danny Glover is eyeing the bad guy in his sights, the bad guy holds up a badge and shouts, 'Diplomatic Immunity!!!' Then BOOM, and Glover says, "has just been revoked!'
Reply 47 - Posted by: LAW428, 4/29/2004 2:46:13 PM
Is there anyone at the UN who is not a fraudulent liar?
And why should they have ANY credibility after this?
I am with #1, is anyone outraged?
Reply 48 - Posted by: shadeau, 4/29/2004 2:46:29 PM
Media will now just drop their coverage of this, after all, it's probably nutin anyway, not like the President's missing meal tickets or pay stubs while he was in the guard
Reply 49 - Posted by: VRWconspiracy, 4/29/2004 2:58:35 PM
Did anybody out there actually think that those records would not disappear? Come on, it was utterly predictable.
Reply 50 - Posted by: Shooter1001, 4/29/2004 3:00:52 PM
What did anyone expect from a third-world monkeys like Anan.
Reply 51 - Posted by: Walker, 4/29/2004 3:03:52 PM
They are all Friends of Kerry.
Maybe he knows where they are.
Reply 52 - Posted by: pomom, 4/29/2004 3:10:56 PM
This explains all the increased electricity use at the U.N. building - shredders. ESPECIALLY when the guy running this program had interest in a Panamanian company who received oil vouchers.
Reply 53 - Posted by: Primal Screamer, 4/29/2004 3:31:59 PM
Chairman of the committee looking into this says this has "a potential impact on the reputation and credibility of the United Nations." Not to the left, who will see this as not as important (only the biggest financial scandal in history) as all the, ahem, good, the UN does. But for those of us who have higher standards, this is no surprise and if the UN is allowed to exist any longer, there'll be more of the same. The probably millions of dollars in unpaid parking tickets, ignoring the Rwanda massacres, dictators on human rights panels, and on and on and on.
Reply 54 - Posted by: Happy Katy, 4/29/2004 4:06:39 PM
Having just reread my earlier post (#23), I believe I probably used the wrong word, and now think it s/b:
Immunity rather than amnesty.
I also think he was probably talking about his Deputy for immunity to buy some insurance for himself. That way the guy might keep Kofi and his son out of bullet range.
Reply 55 - Posted by: simkeith, 4/29/2004 4:18:02 PM
Why aren't I surprised about this outrage. And these are the people to whom Lurch would would turn out armed forces and foreign policy to.
Reply 56 - Posted by: Sooner, 4/29/2004 4:46:17 PM
The first time I heard of the Oil for Food scandal was several months ago on Washingotn Journal. The journalist had just been to Iraq and said that the US translators going through all of Saddam's documents had come upon this scandal which cited countries, persons, contracts, etc. Like the Nazis, Saddam kept excellent records so perhaps not all informative information has disappeared down the shredders.
Reply 57 - Posted by: saryden, 4/29/2004 5:11:10 PM
Kerry and the Dems want to turn the world over to the U N??? What does that say???
Bad, Bad, Bad!!! I mean EVIL.
Reply 58 - Posted by: Ardys Parrish, 4/29/2004 5:26:20 PM
It seems to me that Canada is the place the UN should be with notice to all staff that the minute they step across the US border they will lose their diplomatic immunity so that they cannot run into NYC for lunch with Tina and theatre with Cindy. Decrease the US contribution to that given by Spain, France and Germany and tell them to heck with them, like it or lump it. Yes, I am outraged because it is OUTRAGEOUS
Reply 59 - Posted by: shells, 4/29/2004 5:27:09 PM
I vote #18 post of the day.
Reply 60 - Posted by: dainbred, 4/29/2004 5:29:44 PM
Kofi must have called Hillary for "Legal" advice.....
This is the crowd that Kerry wants the USA to be run by.
THINK about THAT in the Voting Booth!!!
Reply 61 - Posted by: Italiano, 4/29/2004 5:29:59 PM
It's way past time to pull the plug on the UN. It's been a pathetic farce for far too long. Why keep up the charade?
Reply 62 - Posted by: cisco, 4/29/2004 5:36:44 PM
In a better world the 9/11 evildoers would have flown into the UN building while the whole group of idiots and theives was in session.
Reply 63 - Posted by: smokehouse, 4/29/2004 5:42:18 PM
The UN has been and always will be an outlet for the wanna be's of the world like France and the rest of "old Europe" and the banana republics. It's their platform for trashing the United State of America. It is totally useless. Time to bid adiós.
Reply 64 - Posted by: One small Voice, 4/29/2004 5:50:23 PM
You are jesting about Hillary but there is a link to Clinton but one word comes to mind. Mark Rich (the guy that Clinton pardoned) received oil contracts and laundered the money to give it to the Clinton library.
You have to ask questions about the 8 years the UN diddled and the US blew up tents and camels.
Come on, the answer is obvious: TREASON
Reply 65 - Posted by: baja_ha, 4/29/2004 6:01:49 PM
How to kill two birds with one stone:
Serve the UN's New York office with an eviction notice. Put it on hold for 30 days to give 'em time to ''find'' the records.
When they ''can't find'' the records, evict them; the city of N.Y. can start collecting $millions in property taxes - which they are currently denied.
Reply 66 - Posted by: Ghost Dansing, 4/29/2004 6:07:04 PM
The U.S. should aggressively prosecute any and all U.S. corporations that engaged in illegal activity vis-a-vis the UNs Oil-For-Food Program. This will set an example of leadership worthy of a Superpower.
Reply 67 - Posted by: Blackeagle, 4/29/2004 6:20:20 PM
I believe we responded yesterday to #66's identical comment. However he/she/it never made a response - indicating he/she/it is nothing more than a site pest.
http://www.lucianne.com/threads2.asp?artnum=134874
Reply 68 - Posted by: Blackeagle, 4/29/2004 6:42:23 PM
#66 has a point. Our mainstream media knew full well that Saddam was using this program to acquire weapons, build palaces, etc - and was diverting intended funds away from the people intended. He could also use the funds diversion as bonus propaganda to 'show the world' that the sanctions were causing Iraqi children to die. (They were Kurdish children BTW - surprise, surprise - and he and his enablers killed them, not the sanctions). The enablers included the UN and the media whores who cared more about making the US look bad than they did about exposing the truth behind the food-for-fraud program.
So NBC, ABC, CBS and CNN - especially CNN should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law (along with other pressitutes like those working at the W. Post, NY Times etc. These folks just happily played along (especially CNN) - a policy which allowed them continued access to Iraq and to keep other agendas in play (mostly making the US look bad) – so they didn't expose the fraud that was well-known at the time.
Prosecute them, prosecute those whores - they are evil.
Reply 69 - Posted by: Sazedog, 4/29/2004 6:45:17 PM
The U.N. is, and always has been, a giant money transfer to steal money from the West and give it to the third world.
It's long past time to withdraw from the U.N. and evict the U.N. from its perch on the Hudson.
The biggest scaldal is that the the U.N. continues to be supported by our government in Washington.
Money aside, the U.N. has failed in its idealistic mission to be a forum for international disputes.
Reply 70 - Posted by: donna quixote, 4/29/2004 6:59:49 PM
This is just another example why this den of bureaucrats living at the public trough can't be entrusted with any serious missions.
I think UN headquarters should be moved to Rawanda.
Reply 71 - Posted by: Halfgenius, 4/29/2004 7:08:05 PM
Where's the outrages pouring from the House of Representives? When will we see a resolution halting all UN program fundings and payments until the facts are of this fiasco known and the records are released. Is there not one American voice in our Government willing to take the UN to task?
Reply 72 - Posted by: LegendHasIt, 4/29/2004 7:21:18 PM
I'm getting SOOO tired of this crap.
US out of the UN.
UN out of the US.
I do hope that someone(s) with honor, courage and with "the power" have the "Oil for Corruption" they got from Saddam's records and will se them to bring down these people "who don't know who their fathers were".
Reply 73 - Posted by: Betty Jean, 4/29/2004 7:29:33 PM
I keep getting outraged about things such as this, the actions and lies of the democrats, the laziness of our populace who find it easier to put a hand out than put a hand to work and make their living that the only thing it does is raise my blood pressure and NOTHING EVER GETS CHANGED. One of these days I will be deader than a doornail with a stroke because I continue to be outraged and NOTHING WILL EVER CHANGE. What can we do?
Reply 74 - Posted by: bmorgan, 4/29/2004 7:56:00 PM
Ah, the disappearing ink trick, huh?
Reply 75 - Posted by: Dolley Madison, 4/29/2004 8:07:33 PM
Hillary no doubt lent Koffee her industrial-size shredder; they are SUCH good friends, I imagine she and Impeached bill received funds from the OilyFoodScandal.
It is outrageous, and we need to write to our reps and let them know WE WANT THE UN OUT OF THE USA!
Reply 76 - Posted by: plaid, 4/29/2004 8:13:11 PM
These are the same humanoids that Johnny Nam wants to run America and Iraq. Johnny Nam is promising his useful idiots that if they vote for him, he'll put the U.N. in charge. What a guy! The perfect candidate for the intellectually challenged 'RATS.
Reply 77 - Posted by: kelcom, 4/29/2004 8:18:22 PM
Kerry should put his money where his mouth is and let the UN manage the Kerry/Heinz portfolio. I'd love to see Turahza's reaction to that proposal.
Reply 78 - Posted by: GettaClue, 4/29/2004 8:23:42 PM
Un-freakin-believable!
Reply 79 - Posted by: berserker, 4/29/2004 8:49:09 PM
Communists all, but we still have Saddam's records, unless Hans Blitz gets his hands on them.
Reply 80 - Posted by: ProudTexan, 4/29/2004 9:40:48 PM
My advice: RELAX… and enjoy the ride. The facts will all come out. Doesn’t matter what the UN destroyed, all contracts have at least 2 parties involved. The Iraqis kept meticulous records (for fear the record keepers would be accused by Sadam of improprieties). The truth will come out, and the guilty will pay. Diplomatic immunity will NOT apply. I’m more confident in the prosecutorial desire of the Iraqis than of our own DOJ (I’m a BIG Ashcroft fan, BUT the Iraqis are the harmed party here and they won’t be as gentile as Ashcroft or any other authority.)
This will not be a big issue in the upcoming election. The candidate it would harm worst is John Fonda – get UN approval before I take a dump – Kerry. He probably won’t be the candidate and HerThighness’s duplicity will probably not be proved by then.
Doesn’t matter, Bush will beat either on the basis of his own integrity/morality/strength.
But for the longer term, it will at least convince the middle (the left is hopeless) that Bush will be right when he totally revamps the UN. Don’t count on a pull-out.
Reply 81 - Posted by: shilohsharps, 4/29/2004 10:40:43 PM
The Rev. Jean-Marie Benjamin of the Vatican received 4.5 million barrels - and the little dickens has a WEBSITE
BTW - there is no way this guy is a Roman Catholic. He may wear the outfit from Central Casting, he may be able to flash Vatican credentials and he might even (God Help Us) perform the Holy Mass, but....he ain't no Christian.
Reply 82 - Posted by: mama meatballs, 4/29/2004 11:52:16 PM
My keyboard is in meltdown...I just e-mailed the friar born in France, living in Italy and
told him what he needed to hear. I read his bio. I believe he used the Church as cover
for his politics. Somebody needs to do some
investigative reporting on him. But first, he
needs to be booted out of the clergy...now, fast... I'm sending copies of his bio to priests, bishops and cardinals with the request that they get moving and kick the
creep out. I hope others will do the same.
Reply 83 - Posted by: nofreelunch, 4/30/2004 12:05:52 AM
# 64 --
Nobody I know on this site 'jests' about PIAPS.
Reply 84 - Posted by: tomlandryismyhero, 4/30/2004 1:08:03 AM
millions will be shown to have poured into the dnc.
Reply 85 - Posted by: steveW, 4/30/2004 1:18:42 AM
GIven that almost the entire media, "world opinion", the Left and it's Muslim allies, and the UN-worshipping Democrats desperately need the UN to be a bulwark against Bush's USA, this story has the barest minimum chance of going anywhere. It will take some brave and stubborn work from the right to keeps legs on this. UN corruption is something liberals have accepted for decades. Why change now?
