On the subject of the oil-for-food scandal, the FT has a very interesting article today "that the single-largest and boldest smuggling operation in the oil-for-food programme was conducted with the knowledge of the US government.
article
However, FT/Il Sole have evidence that US and UK missions to the UN were informed of the smuggling while it was happening and that they reported it to their respective governments, to no avail.
Oil traders were told informally that the US let the tankers go because Amman needed oil to build up its strategic reserves in expectation of the Iraq war.
Last week Paul Volcker, head of the independent commission created by the UN to investigate failures in the oil-for-food programme, confirmed that Washington allowed violations of the oil sanctions by Jordan in recognition of its national interests.
PE
This message has been edited by Primordial Egg, 01-13-2005 09:50 AM
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