Kofi Annan’s son admits oil dealing

[emad]

Sunday Times
Robert Winnett and Jonathon Carr-Brown



THE son of the United Nations secretary-general has admitted he was involved in negotiations to sell millions of barrels of Iraqi oil under the auspices of Saddam Hussein.

Kojo Annan has told a close friend he became involved in negotiations to sell 2m barrels of Iraqi oil to a Moroccan company in 2001. He is understood to be co-operating with UN investigators probing the discredited oil for food programme.

The alleged admission will increase pressure on Kofi Annan, the UN secretary general, who is already facing calls for his resignation over the management of the humanitarian programme.

The oil for food programme allowed Saddam to sell oil to buy humanitarian supplies under UN supervision. However, it has emerged that the programme was riddled with corruption as Saddam used it to buy influence around the world.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,176-1462576,00.html

[EnfantTerrible]

1. Children can be so embarrassing!

n/t

[Psephos]

2. Lots of cash + little accountability = corruption every time, every place

Has nothing to do with political beliefs. It's a fact of human nature. That's why transparency and check-and-balance mechanisms are so important.

"Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." - Lord Acton

[daleo]

3. Wow, another unsubstantiated claim.

And a close friend no less. I am impressed.

This quote from the report doesn't actually say what he did wrong (admittedly I didn't bother to register).

[emad]

4. No need.Just put it up on google.

[struggle4progress]

10. Timing is everything. New story on billions lost by the CPA.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=1197623&mesg_id=1197623&page=

So naturally the goosesteppers will be squawking "Oil for food! Oil for food!"

[msgadget]

18. It's on the Fox page too

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,145848,00.html|Investigator: $9 Billion Unaccounted for in Iraq Spending>

Edit: It's the same article linked in the above DU thread

[Sandpiper]

5. Facing calls for his resignation

From the U.S., Israel, and no one else.

[Eloriel]

11. Well, no one else is IMPORTANT, you see n/t

[seriousstan]

6. Kofi is busy saving innocent lives in Sudan.

He can't be distracted by this kind of news.

[TO Kid]

8. Just like he was "busy"

"Saving" lives in Rwanda?

[wellst0nev0ter]

17. As I Recall, Annan Was Elected Secretary General in 1996

you silly.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

19. Three word for you:

Search. By. Author.

[TO Kid]

21. He was with the UN a lot longer than that

He was involved with the Rwanda situation while it was developing. Check out Shake Hands with the Devil by Lt. Gen. Roméo Dallaire for details. Annan is a UN careerist just like everyone else involved in the fiasco.

[struggle4progress]

20. 70 Nobel laureates back Annan

United Nations, Jan. 28 (Reuters):

Seventy Nobel laureates today praised UN secretary-general Kofi Annan, facing questions about his role in the tainted Iraq oil-for-food programme, for advancing world peace.

“He has never failed to take a critical look at the UN to examine its weaknesses and recommend improvements,” the prize-winners said in a statement released in New York. Annan was this week questioned for a third time by a commission investigating the $67 billion UN oil-for-food programme.

Some conservative US lawmakers have demanded his resignation and the head of the commission, former US federal reserve chairman Paul Volcker, was expected to issue his first findings in the inquiry next week. Among the signatories were world leaders Jimmy Carter of the US, Mikhail Gorbachev of the former Soviet Union and F.W. de Klerk of South Africa.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1050129/asp/foreign/story_4310728.asp

[underpants]

7. OMG! read the last line of this article (non event)

RW radio and Fox will surely be all over this but note the very last line of this article

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,12098425%255E2703,00.html

Kojo is alleged to have travelled to Morocco to help finalise the sale and was present at key meetings. However, the sale was abandoned by Mr Yamani.

Never happened

[420inTN]

9. Well, the story does say that he was involved...

in "negotiations to sell", not that the oil was actually sold.

so, when you say "Never happened", do you mean that Anan Jr was never involved in any negotiations, or that the sale never happened?

[ashiebr]

14. Well the Sunday Times is part

...of the Murdoch FEE!

I like the authorititive source:

"Kojo Annan has told a close friend...".

[underpants]

15. Exactly this is hearsay about accusations

but it will be treated as gospel tomorrow on the RW airwaves.

[Charlie Brown]

12. What does this have to do with Kofi?

Kojo is a grown man and runs his own life. He's also cooperating with investigators.

Should we arrest all of Saddam's siblings/children in the West and execute them for "corruption of blood?"

[Gyre]

13. Colin/Michael Powell connection. Anybody see a pattern?

Almost the same as having something you can be blackmailed with, except this is predicated on greed for a member of your family, so I guess it isn't so bad.

I thought that fat little wimp Michael Powell would never have been appointed chair of the FCC if daddy hadn't sold his own soul for his son's welfare, to the detriment of the country and free speech.


Gyre

[hector459]

16. IT NEVER HAPPENED!!! Don't let FOX get away with another "half-truth"

The deal never went through and KoJo made no money on this---nada!