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| Iraq-Jordan |
| Galloway accepts Washington call |
| 2005-05-12 |
| British MP George Galloway says he is ready to face down US senators who claim he received oil rights from Saddam Hussein's Iraq. Mr Galloway denies claims by a Senate committee that he and a former French minister were allowed to sell Iraqi oil to reward their support for the regime. The committee said it would be "pleased" for Mr Galloway to appear at a hearing in Washington on 17 May. The MP accepted, declaring he would take "them on in their own lions' den". He told the BBC: "I'll be Daniel and I'll be triumphant". Speaking shortly after the report was published on Thursday, Mr Galloway said he had "never profited from anything related to Iraq". He said it was "patently absurd" to think that, as an MP being closely watched by UK security services, he could have become an "oil billionaire" on the sly. Saddam Hussein misused the oil-for-food programme to reward people he hoped would work against UN sanctions He added that he had "written and e-mailed repeatedly" requesting the opportunity to appear before the committee and rebut the claims, but it had "yet to respond". A spokesman for committee chairman Senator Norm Coleman, inviting Mr Galloway to the hearing, denied that allegation. "Contrary to his assertions, at no time did Mr Galloway contact the permanent subcommittee on investigations by any means, including but not limited to telephone, fax, e-mail, letter, Morse code or carrier pigeon," Mr Coleman's office said in a statement. So he's a liar, but we knew that already. The Senate report also accuses former French Interior Minister Charles Pasqua of receiving oil rights from Iraq. It claims both men were given potentially lucrative oil allocations as a reward for their support in calling for sanctions against the regime to be loosened. Pasqua issued a new denial after the report was published. It alleges that Baghdad gave Mr Pasqua the right to buy 11 million barrels of oil, while Mr Galloway had received an option on some 20 million. Middlemen could collect commissions of three to 30 US cents per barrel of oil, the report said. However, there was no evidence in the report that either men personally profited. Mr Pasqua - now a French senator, with immunity from criminal prosecution - said he had denied similar accusations in the past, and was denying them again. Both Republican and Democrat senators issued the report, which followed a year of inquiries by the Senate's permanent subcommittee on investigations. The committee says it has evidence from documents drawn up by the Ministry of Oil under Saddam Hussein and interviews with "high-ranking Hussein regime officials". Mr Coleman, the Republican senator who chairs the committee, is a sharp critic of the United Nations. The UN's oil-for-food programme was a $60bn (£32bn) scheme set up in 1996 to allow Iraq to buy food, medicine and other humanitarian supplies with the proceeds of regulated oil sales. The programme aimed to relieve the suffering of Iraqis under sanctions and was formally ended in 2003 after the US-led invasion of Iraq. Questions over the way the programme was conducted emerged in early 2004, after an Iraqi newspaper published a list of about 270 people including UN officials, politicians and companies it alleged may have profited from the illicit sale of Iraqi oil. Mr Pasqua's name appeared on the list. He issued a denial at the time. For his part, Mr Galloway won substantial damages in a libel suit against the London-based Daily Telegraph newspaper over an article relating to his alleged role in the oil-for-food programme. The Senate report said the documents it used to make the allegations "have no relation" to those discussed in the Daily Telegraph piece. I'll believe it when I see him standing in front of the microphone and not taking the 5th. |
| Posted by:phil_b |
| #19 Comments like the last 3 make me wonder if Allen Funt is hiding behind my desk. |
| Posted by: mmurray821 2005-05-12 22:43 |
| #18 DD, let me know, k? I don't wanna watch....please? |
| Posted by: Frank G 2005-05-12 21:35 |
| #17 "...even Barney Frank getting hold of his ass" If Barney Frank porks Galloway live on C-SPAN, I'll even kick in ANOTHER fifty bucks to Fred... |
| Posted by: Dave D. 2005-05-12 21:21 |
| #16 I welcome someone like Orin Hatch or even Barney Frank getting hold of his ass. Damn, now I have to clean my monitor! Freakin' LOL funny! |
| Posted by: Raj 2005-05-12 20:49 |
| #15 Wonder how the Beeb will cover this??? There might have to be a replacement election for him down the road. |
| Posted by: anonymous2u 2005-05-12 20:46 |
| #14 He said it was "patently absurd" to think that, as an MP being closely watched by UK security services, he could have become an "oil billionaire" on the sly. Wrong again, Is it me or does this assclown use exaggeration way too much as his primary rhetorical schtick? |
| Posted by: Raj 2005-05-12 20:46 |
| #13 Okay I'm down for 50, but if it happens it needs to wait until September. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2005-05-12 19:58 |
| #12 Plus I *really* want him to show. |
| Posted by: Classical_Liberal 2005-05-12 19:53 |
| #11 I'll go fifty for Fred that he does show. That way Fred is covered both ways. |
| Posted by: Classical_Liberal 2005-05-12 19:53 |
| #10 I'm in for fifty yankee dollars to Fred, too. Georgie G., if you are reading, that would be equivalent to your commission from 166 to 1666 barrels of oil. Roughly. |
| Posted by: Carl in N.H. 2005-05-12 19:06 |
| #9 DD's got the juevos. Galloway doesn't.. |
| Posted by: Frank G 2005-05-12 19:06 |
| #8 even Barney Frank getting hold of his ass Hey! Thisn a family blog. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2005-05-12 18:54 |
| #7 Me. I'm in for fifty. |
| Posted by: Dave D. 2005-05-12 18:52 |
| #6 he'll call witch hunt and not show - I've got $50 for Fred if he does. Who'll match me? |
| Posted by: Frank G 2005-05-12 18:18 |
| #5 Ya' beat me to the call for popcorn, SPOD! ;-p |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2005-05-12 18:00 |
| #4 He thinks it will be a place where he can spew his noxious crap. He is about to find out although we "seem" to be more reserved in our legistalure these guys mostly can make George look like the little creep he is. I welcome someone like Orin Hatch or even Barney Frank getting hold of his ass. It won't be pretty. These guys in the Senate and House of Rep know how to beat you to death with the facts. Most have law degrees. Red meat stuff. Someone get the popcorn ready. |
| Posted by: Sock Puppet 0’ Doom 2005-05-12 17:57 |
| #3 he won't show. Whatever excuse is handy, Hedley will remain abroad |
| Posted by: Frank G 2005-05-12 17:47 |
| #2 Or maybe it would.... still it would be a fine show. Grant the 'ole boy whatever immunity congress can and let it rip. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2005-05-12 17:37 |
| #1 The 5th won't apply. This could be great theatre. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2005-05-12 17:36 |