[antimedia] antimedia: Saddam and the United Nations....

[antimedia at lists.powerblogs.com]

Posted by antimedia:
Saddam and the United Nations....
http://www.antimedia.us/posts/1143922919.shtml


   ....is a case study in corruption and bribery. On page 45 of the Iraq
   Perspectives Project report, the discussion has turned to the runup to
   Operation Iraqi Freedom and Saddam's strategy for preparing for that
   war.

     What was the acute source of Saddam's confidence on the eve of
     OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM? Judging from his private statements, the
     single most important element in his strategic calculus was his
     faith that France and Russia would prevent the United States from
     invading Iraq.^23 Tariq Aziz's revealed that this confidence was
     firmly rooted in the nexus between the economic interests of France
     and Russia and the strategic goals of Saddam:

     France and Russia each secured millions of dollars worth of trade
     and service contracts in Iraq, with the implied understanding that
     their political posture with regard to sanctions on Iraq would be
     pro-Iraqi. In addition, the French wanted sanctions lifted to
     safeguard their trade and service contracts with Iraq. Moreover,
     they wanted to prove their importance in the world as members of
     the Security Council; that they could use their veto to show they
     still had power.^24

     Undoubtedly, such confidence was likely perceived to be the fruit
     of Saddam's decade-long efforts to gain support in the United
     Nations Security Council through bribery and political influence
     buying. He had often received assurances and indications during
     this period that his strategy was paying off. For example, open
     sources have reported that the Iraqi Ambassador to Moscow sent a
     note to Baghdad on 4 October 2002 stating the following:

     Our friends [in Russian intelligence] have told us that President
     Putin has given very clear instructions to the Ministry of Foreign
     Affairs vis-a-vis Iraq. Our friends instruct us that Russia is very
     clear in its opposition to any attack on Iraq. It will not allow
     the new resolution to include any intention that would allow the
     use of force against Iraq.^25

   In other words, he didn't prepare at all, because he was supremely
   confident that his friends, the French and the Russians, whom he had
   generously rewarded not only with contracts and business but with
   bribes funded by the UN's Oil For Food program, would ensure that the
   US never invaded Iraq.
   Taken in the light of what we now know, President Bush's attempt to
   gain UN approval was fatally flawed from the beginning, because the
   very nations on the Security Council that are tasked with maintaining
   world peace were infested with self-interest, double-dealing and out
   and out bribery.
   This is the organization that liberals believe can save the world.
   Given how manifestly foolish that is, why should we believe that
   liberals have anything worthwhile to offer with regard to national
   security, worldwide peace or any other issue of import? They foolishly
   believe that the same organization that is rife with all the
   weaknesses of man can somehow save man from himself.
   In reality, the UN is a lot like Mexico -- controlled by greedy men
   with their own self-interests driving their decisions, with little or
   no regard for the human wreckage they leave in their wake.