Saturday, January 08, 2005
Iraqis Implicate More U.N. Workers For Taking Bribes In Oil-For-Food Scandal
My denomination, the PC(USA), pretty much holds to the view that international actions are illegal unless the United Nations approves of it. Yes, they seem to hold to the view that the U.N. is the rightful world governmental agency. That seems funny now.
My denomination, the PC(USA), pretty much holds to the view that international actions are illegal unless the United Nations approves of it. Yes, they seem to hold to the view that the U.N. is the rightful world governmental agency. That seems funny now.
Investigators from the House International Relations Committee said several current and former officials in Iraq's Oil, Health and Transportation ministries have told them that U.N. staffers assigned to the "661 Committee" — the U.N. Security Council group that oversaw sanctions and approved oil-for-food contracts — regularly took bribes and kickbacks from suppliers of aid to Iraq during the program.
The Iraqi ministry officials said the U.N. staffers, based in New York, were paid to accelerate approval of oil-for-food contracts or provide secret information on why certain suspicious contracts with Saddam Hussein's regime were blocked by the 661 Committee, investigators said.
