A lawmaker heading one of Congress' investigations into the U.N. Oil-for-Food program sent a letter to French President Jacques Chirac asking for his full cooperation and insisting French government officials meet with his committee. Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, sent the letter Friday to highlight some of the findings of a recent report by the CIA's Iraq Survey Group. The report, also known as the Duelfer report after chief author Charles Duelfer, suggested that French businessmen and politicians with close ties to Chirac may have received bribes from Saddam Hussein. It also said that that French companies may have sold weapons to Iraq on the eve of the U.S.-led war against Iraq in 2003. "These allegations of bribery and illegal weapons sales are extremely serious, and, if true, cast doubt upon the effectiveness and independence of the United Nations. I very much hope that you will assist this committee in its efforts to shed light on possible abuses of the Oil for Food program," Barton wrote.
When hell freezes over
Chirac has thus far remained silent on the role Oil-for-Food case may have played in influencing France's policy toward Iraq. The French have not answered the allegations against them in any detail but the French ambassador to the United States told FOX News last week the French government is not for sale.
for rent, but not for sale? Like a prostitute ya say?On Thursday, U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan said he would be shocked if any Security Council nation had effectively sold its vote to Saddam. Also Thursday, the U.N.-authorized independent investigation of Oil-for-Food released the most complete list yet of who did business under Oil-for-Food.
shocked, shocked!