Scandal: Oil for Food

Scandal With No Friends
By WILLIAM SAFIRE
NY Times Op-Ed
Published: April 19, 2004

WASHINGTON — How fares the multination cover-up of the richest rip-off in world history?

Obstruction of justice has never had it so good. Last month, after some badgering in this space and elsewhere, the House International Relations Committee announced it would look into the $5 billion kickback scandal in the United Nations' six-year Iraqi oil-for-food program, the largest humanitarian aid effort ever undertaken.

Note: Point of Order Mr. Safire: With the current US Military direct cost of $4.5 billion per month, and the over $150 billion thus far spent in Iraq by America does it seem to you that the UN Oil for Food Scandal approaches the magnitude of the Bush Administration Scandals, such as the overcharges by hand-picked US suppliers like Halliburton, the inappropriate diversion of $700 million from the Afgan War, the sequestering of Chalabi's INC organization, the improper favors shown to the Saudi monarchy, or the adopted disdain for a balanced solution to the Palestinian situation?

Really Sir, five billion dollars in questionable spending over six years by the UN, does not begin to compare to an estimated $300 billion over six years in questionable spending for the Iraq invasion to be paid by America? Scandal and major league ripoff is in the eye of the beholder.

It seems to this reader that you are trying a bit of diversion by pointing to an alledged weakness in a UN program which may be used domestically as a cover for the Bush Administration's Mid-East policies. Put the House hearings in context, and scale. Your guys have been wrong, have refused to admit it, and have not come up with any internationally supportable way out of the quagmire your guys took us into!