The Axis of Weasels, the countries that attempted to prevent the removal of the Hussein regime in Iraq were on the receiving end of Iraq oil bribes. The independent Baghdad newspaper al-Mada published a list of 46 individuals, companies, and organizations were given millions of barrels of oil as a bribe to try to save Hussein’s tyrannical regime. al-Mada bases this claim on documents recovered at the Iraqi oil ministry. Al-Jazeera sur SeineLe Monde has more on these allegations (link in French. Google translation here).
As one British diplomat said, "oil runs thicker than blood" and indeed it appears that the French, the Russians, China, and others were willing to take bribes from a bloodthirsty tyrant for oil. So much for the idea of a principled stand against war and the US’s war being about trading blood for oil.
Jay,
Why do you keep calling “Le Monde” with an infamous name while quoting it as a reliable source of information? It doesn’t make sens at all. Le Monde is a very good newspaper. Please stop calling it like you do. It really doesn’t deserve that.
On the topic now, for the french beneficiaries, I must say ity is totally disguting. On the other hand, the main french character involved in this story (Mr Pasqua) is a guy that was once minister, but precisely at this time, France was at war with Irak (’91) under the lead of his own party…I really don’t understand how would that be possible for him to take barils from one side, while publicly deciding to attack this country…the guy is dirty though, and it wouldn’ t be surprising…
However, I wonder how reliable is this list, especially since there is NO american name on it, while the US have ALWAYS been the greatest oil and weapons partners of Saddam ( http://www.thepowerhour.com/iraq/Rumsfield-Saddam-picture.htm -and this is actually not the best one…).