Bush Calls for Full U.N. Oil-For-Food Probe

[lovuian]

http://feeds.bignewsnetwork.com/redir.php?jid=5e65018201bdb0d5&cat=c08dd24cec417021

By Caren Bohan
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Bush administration made clear on Thursday it would not take a position on whether U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan should resign as it awaited the results of an investigation into the U.N. oil-for-food scandal.

President Bush called for a "full and open" accounting of Iraq's now-defunct oil-for-food program following accusations Iraqi President Saddam Hussein illegally reaped billions of dollars from it because of Annan's lack of oversight.

While that probe is still pending Secretary of State Colin Powell said the administration will not take a position one way or another on whether Annan should step down.

more...
Can we add Bush's appointees to watch over the stolen Iraqi Oil money !!!

[Straight Shooter]

1. How about a "full and open accounting" of Halliburton's malfeasance?

I've got a PROBE for YOU, bush.

:grr:

[knowbody0]

2. full and open enough to reach

halliburton's aka that played?

[Brundle_Fly]

3. UN should counter with

a full 2004 election probe.

[maddezmom]

4. let's look at Cheney's ties to Dresser Industries and Oil for Food???

In September 1998, Halliburton closed a $7.7bn stock merger with Dresser Industries (the company that gave George HW Bush his first job). The merger made Halliburton the largest oilfield services firm in the world. It also brought with it two foreign subsidiaries that were doing business with Iraq via the controversial Oil for Food programme. The two subsidiaries, Dresser Rand and Ingersoll Dresser Pump Co, signed $73m-worth of contracts for oil production equipment.

Cheney told the press during his 2000 run for vice-president that he had a "firm policy" against doing business with Iraq. He admitted to doing business with Iran and Libya, but "Iraq's different," he said. Cheney told ABC TV: "We've not done any business in Iraq since UN sanctions were imposed on Iraq in 1990, and I had a standing policy that I wouldn't do that."

Three weeks later, Cheney was forced to admit the business ties, but claimed ignorance. He told reporters that he was not aware of Dresser's business in Iraq, and that besides, Halliburton had divested itself of both companies by 2000. In the meantime, the companies had done another $30m-worth of business in Iraq before being sold off.

The Dresser merger was, it appeared, the crowning achievement of the Cheney years at Halliburton. But Cheney left Halliburton several other legacies. David Gribbin, Cheney's former chief of staff, became Halliburton's chief lobbyist in Washington. Admiral Joe Lopez, a former commander of the sixth fleet, was hired to be KBR's governmental operations expert. Together, Cheney's team made Halliburton one of the top government contractors in the country. KBR had nearly doubled its government contracts, from $1.2bn in the five years prior to his arrival, to $2.3bn during his five years as CEO. Halliburton soared from 73rd to 18th on the Pentagon's list of top contractors.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,,1266233,00.html

[rockedthevoteinMA]

5. Did anyone tell the Moran that it's already happening?

:crazy:

(The investigation is happening, right? Into the Oil for food thing?)

[hippywife]

7. Yes, it's always been my contention

that one of the reasons for securing the oil ministry building in Iraq post haste was to find and remove any incriminating evidence in the Oil-for-Food program. Probably some mighty interesting things were in there.

Go for it...full and open investigation. Yeah, right! Like it will really be open and complete! :crazy: :crazy: :crazy:

[daleo]

6. Calling Kenneth Starr

Bush needs another "probe". He will give you the conclusions to reach in the morning.

[stepnw1f]

8. I Call on A Probe the Size Of....... (nt)

[Old and In the Way]

9. That 9/11 commission went so well, why not?

I'm sure we can expect the corporate news media to get their facts from the RNC and we can pretend that the US was not the major player in it. It's all Clinton's, I mean Kofi's fault.

[Old and In the Way]

10. Something tells me that this will be the excuse for the US to pull

out of the UN when this administration decides they are not co-operating in investigating with our "evidence" of UN corruption.

[lovuian]

12. I agree this is Bush's way out of US being in the UN

In other words US may call the violators criminals of war
Its going to get very ugly!!!

[rodeodance]

17. and Fox is cheerleading all the way!!

[Deja Q]

11. Or the July 2001 secret energy meetings? Or election 2000? Election 2004?

And how many others?

[bushisanidiot]

13. Good! Let's get down to the bottom of this. First up: Cheney/Saddam

doing business in the 90's.

it's about friggin' time!!!

[roguevalley]

14. he's after destroying the UN. Last oversite in the world and you

don't have to go to them for authorizations for war and other atrocities if they don't exist.

[insane_cratic_gal]

15. Pot calling the Kettle Black?

Uh Mr. Bush please check your wonderful contracts of haliburton vp
not to mention Kellog..
Oh and how about the UN tries you for war crimes?

man he's just annoying piece of doo doo that one.

[VegasWolf]

16. Who does bush think he is, the Premiere of China?

[Catherine Vincent]

18. Well, Faux yammered about this distraction long enough.

Now that Bush** stole another fucking election, the heat will be on the UN. I really hate those Bush bastads!:mad: