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Iraq-Jordan
Tariq Aziz Rats Out Saddam, France, U.N.
2004-12-18
Wow
David Kay — a former U.S. adviser in Iraq — spent months questioning Tariq Aziz and others. He says Aziz quickly turned on Saddam and could testify at any trial. "He talks about direct orders to murder, to assassinate, to kill," says Kay.

NBC News has learned U.N. investigators probing corruption in the U.N. oil for food program were scheduled to question Aziz last week. That session was delayed for security reasons. The U.N. investigation — led by former Federal Reserve chairman Paul Volcker — is looking into Saddam's alleged diversion of oil money that was supposed to go for food to U.N. officials and politicians in key countries. U.S. officials say Aziz already has implicated the French and others, claiming payoffs were made with the understanding that recipients would support Iraq on key matters before the U.N. "He pointed to specific individuals in Russia and France, in the United States — that received favorable treatment," says David Kay. Now, sources tell NBC News that Aziz has indicated he's finally ready to talk about alleged bribes to U.N. officials. U.N. investigators refuse to comment.
Posted by:Sludj

#23  Would be nic to hear what Americans Marc Rich were doing business, though, wouldn't it?
Posted by: Frank G   2004-12-18 11:28:33 PM  

#22  Re US miscreants, it would be enormously helpful to remind the no-blood-fer-oil! cretins that keeping Saddam in power was the oilmen's preferred policy. They urged Congress to lift sanctions and let them do business with Saddam. It would be extremely surprising if a few of the oil traders in NY and Houston were not up to their eyeballs in OFF
Posted by: lex   2004-12-18 11:25:14 PM  

#21  "He pointed to specific individuals in Russia and France, in the United States — that received favorable treatment," says David Kay.

Jim McDermott, Dan Rather and Chrissy Matthews. For starters. Please, please, PLEASE!
Posted by: Ricky bin Ricardo (Abu Babaloo)   2004-12-18 11:18:46 PM  

#20  Problem with French deniability is that Spitzer has jurisdiction re. Banque Paribas' role in funds transfers. Another stepping stone to national office for the ambitious Albany prosecutor
Posted by: lex   2004-12-18 9:41:24 PM  

#19  Remoteman, well spoken ;)
Posted by: molokai_man   2004-12-18 8:38:30 PM  

#18  all the more reason to see to Mr. Aziz's health. Til we're done with him
Posted by: Frank G   2004-12-18 7:30:07 PM  

#17  Mrs. D is right on this one. That info is blackmail material and will be used as such. IMO the French are so arrogant that they will dare us to use it thinking they can plausibly deny. Idiots.
Posted by: Remote Man   2004-12-18 7:24:12 PM  

#16  Aziz is NOT a Moslem. He is a Satanist who has Christians in his family.
Posted by: leaddog2   2004-12-18 5:39:00 PM  

#15  I'd triple the security and hire a food taster for him....

Yeah, dioxin is en vogue nowadays.
Posted by: Gromort Granter5318   2004-12-18 5:17:06 PM  

#14  We've been waiting for a long time for this. Turn him inside out.

As for what to do with the intel, well, satisfying as it might be to crown all of the asshat collaborationist regimes with thorns, I'll let (lol!) the "Professionals" decide where our interests are best served - though where that involves State and CIA I feel like I just ate a shit sandwich... wonder why that is...

Common sense doesn't always reside where you expect it to - or where it's needed.

I guess I'd be a LOT happier if someone like OldSpook was the one making those decisions - and I'm hoping there are a few sane people like him in the loop.
Posted by: .com   2004-12-18 4:57:23 PM  

#13  Hope the are recording everything.As right as you are Mrs.D,it would be oh-so satisfing to to hold thier dirty drawers in the breeze for the whole world to see and smell.(If I find that thought erotic,would that make me sick?)

Gotta check my pumpkin bread(with nuts and rasins)anyone want some,fresh out of the oven?
Posted by: raptor   2004-12-18 4:48:32 PM  

#12  If anyone has the goods on Chirac's and Putin's circle, it's the worldly ex-Foreign Minister with the extensive collection of bespoke suits, Cuban cigars and Hollywood and Tom Clancy fare.

floodgates are openin'...
Posted by: lex   2004-12-18 4:42:20 PM  

#11  I wouldn't hold my breath, rkb. In whose interest is it to see the French and UN dirty linen washed in public when it can be used for blackmail to equal if not greater effect? And if what he says is true, it will ultimately be confirmed by documentary evidence obviating the need for his testimony.
Posted by: Mrs. Davis   2004-12-18 3:58:25 PM  

#10  I'll wait until he acutally testifies in public before I celebrate .....
Posted by: rkb   2004-12-18 3:54:41 PM  

#9  Glad to see the intel being systematically squeezed from these guys. Patient, painstaking work will eventually connect most of the dots. I want to see the French govt and the UN up to their eyeballs in exposed corruption. Another brick knocked off the wall of the LLL and other's complicity in mass enabling of human misery.

If the UN continues to stonewall Volker's investigation, then Volker and Co will just have to get info through AZIZ and Co. Wonder how long Volker will be allowed to continue before Kofi and Co fire him.
Posted by: Alaska Paul   2004-12-18 3:20:12 PM  

#8  He's Christian Ed .
Posted by: MacNails   2004-12-18 2:35:13 PM  

#7  Guess he doesn't believe in that 72 virgin crap. Would rather stay alive and get his nookie here.
Posted by: ed   2004-12-18 2:27:01 PM  

#6  I presume these guys are being held offshore. If not, that's a less expensive alternative.
Posted by: Mrs. Davis   2004-12-18 1:57:48 PM  

#5  I'd triple the security and hire a food taster for him....
Posted by: Frank G   2004-12-18 1:54:40 PM  

#4  LOL Never heard of good cop / bad cop eh, Bryan?
Posted by: Bulldog   2004-12-18 1:21:20 PM  

#3  He deserves to be the turkey with trimmings. He's just doing whatever he can to save his useless hide. The fact that his info will be useful against Saddam is a separate issue.
Posted by: Bryan   2004-12-18 1:14:02 PM  

#2  I was beginning to think we'd got all our Christmas presents back in November. Aziz deserves turkey with trimmings for this, at least.
Posted by: Bulldog   2004-12-18 1:02:31 PM  

#1  Bet the cables to Paris are getting warm.
Posted by: Mrs. Davis   2004-12-18 12:52:42 PM  

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