It seems that as American forces were entering Iraq, the Russian ambassador was feeding Saddam Hussein information about the US strategy and troop movements.
That at least is the story according to the Pentagon, who issued a report on the matter yesterday.
The Russians, seemingly, were telling Saddam that they obtained the information from sources inside the U.S. Central Command headquarters in Doha.
However, it seems that key details provided to Hussein by the Russians were wrong.
At this point I would suggest that the Americans probably knew full well that the Russians were playing dirty, and were most likely feeding them false information.
Five days after the invasion of Iraq the Russians sent a report to Saddam.
It warned that as U.S. forces moved from Kuwait, troops would bypass Iraqi cities and instead occupy the countryside, thereby isolating the rest of the country from its western border.
On April 2nd 2003, Iraq's foreign minister sent a memo to Hussein telling him that he had information from the Russian ambassador in Baghdad. The memo said that U.S. forces would not invade Baghdad until after the 4th Infantry Division arrived.
Needless to say the intelligence proved wrong, as sure as eggs are eggs the Americans were wise to the Russians game and were feeding false information.
Nonetheless, the Russians have some explaining to do!
Saturday, March 25, 2006
Friday, March 24, 2006
UN Rebukes Australian Government
It was revealed yesterday that the UN has delivered a stern rebuke to the Australian government, for stonewalling its own investigation into kickbacks to Saddam Hussein.
UN investigator Paul Volcker apparently described Australia's attitude to his investigation as "beyond reticent, even forbidding" at a meeting in New York on February 7 2005, according to an internal government report released yesterday.
Volcker rebuked the Australian Ambassador, John Dauth, after learning that Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer had refused his UN investigating team permission to interview Australian government officials personally, as well as blocking access to classified Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade cables.
Mr Volcker had been investigating companies abuse of UN sanctions against Saddam. The Australian wheat company, AWB, was the worst offender; paying almost $300M in bribes to Saddam.
The Australian government has always claimed that it has co-operated fully with the Volcker Panel.
Clean hands?
UN investigator Paul Volcker apparently described Australia's attitude to his investigation as "beyond reticent, even forbidding" at a meeting in New York on February 7 2005, according to an internal government report released yesterday.
Volcker rebuked the Australian Ambassador, John Dauth, after learning that Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer had refused his UN investigating team permission to interview Australian government officials personally, as well as blocking access to classified Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade cables.
Mr Volcker had been investigating companies abuse of UN sanctions against Saddam. The Australian wheat company, AWB, was the worst offender; paying almost $300M in bribes to Saddam.
The Australian government has always claimed that it has co-operated fully with the Volcker Panel.
Clean hands?
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Secrets For Cash
Naji Sabri, foreign minister to Saddam Hussein pre invasion, reportedly told Western intelligence agencies before the 2003 invasion that Iraq had no active weapons programs, but that it was stockpiling chemical weapons from the Iran-Iraq war.
Sabri was allegedly paid $100K, via a third party, to pass the information on to French intelligence, which shared it with the CIA.
After the invasion Sabri called Britain and the U.S. "outlaws", and accused the coalition of exploiting Iraq for its natural resources.
Sabri was allegedly paid $100K, via a third party, to pass the information on to French intelligence, which shared it with the CIA.
After the invasion Sabri called Britain and the U.S. "outlaws", and accused the coalition of exploiting Iraq for its natural resources.
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Gaddafi Speaks Out
Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has said that the trial of Saddam Hussein is illegal under the Geneva Convention.
He was quoted yesterday as saying:
"He cannot be tried."
He went on to claim that Saddam was a "prisoner of war", and as such should have been released by now.
Gaddafi also dismissed the election last year of an Iraqi parliament, saying that it was invalid because it took place under foreign occupation.
Saddam, in Gaddafi's mind, is still the legal president of Iraq because "he wasn't toppled by his people".
He was quoted yesterday as saying:
"He cannot be tried."
He went on to claim that Saddam was a "prisoner of war", and as such should have been released by now.
Gaddafi also dismissed the election last year of an Iraqi parliament, saying that it was invalid because it took place under foreign occupation.
Saddam, in Gaddafi's mind, is still the legal president of Iraq because "he wasn't toppled by his people".
Monday, March 20, 2006
Iraq's Missing Billions
Those of you with access to UK TV's Channel 4, should watch their Dispatches programme at 20:00 tonight.
It will detail where the $20BN allocated to rebuild Iraq has gone.
In a nutshell, it has been stolen.
363 tonnes of $100 dollar notes were flown from Andrews Air Force base into Iraq, during the first 14 months of occupation. The money ended up in the pockets of corrupt businessmen and corrupt officials.
US attorney Alan Grayson is quoted as saying:
"Iraq became a free fraud zone, and in a free fraud zone, you can steal anything you like. And that's what they did".
The people of Iraq have lost out, the members of the Administration in Washington who presided over this disgrace should hang their heads in shame.
There are some very senior people should be going to jail for this.
It will detail where the $20BN allocated to rebuild Iraq has gone.
In a nutshell, it has been stolen.
363 tonnes of $100 dollar notes were flown from Andrews Air Force base into Iraq, during the first 14 months of occupation. The money ended up in the pockets of corrupt businessmen and corrupt officials.
US attorney Alan Grayson is quoted as saying:
"Iraq became a free fraud zone, and in a free fraud zone, you can steal anything you like. And that's what they did".
The people of Iraq have lost out, the members of the Administration in Washington who presided over this disgrace should hang their heads in shame.
There are some very senior people should be going to jail for this.
Australian Kickbacks
Australia's spy agencies allegedly knew that Australian companies violated United Nations sanctions in Iraq, as long as eight years ago, according to reports in Australian newspapers.
Prime Minister John Howard has denied lying to the Australian people, saying that intelligence had not surfaced because it was buried within other spy material.
Documents from the Australian Intelligence Security Organisation, Office of National Assessments and Defence Intelligence Organisation allegedly show that Australia's spies were aware of illegal payments to Saddam Hussein via the fake Jordanian trucking company, Alia.
The documents suggest that there was concern that kickbacks were being used to buy military goods or parts abroad.
It was suspected that Australian companies were using Alia to circumvent U.N. sanctions, which were designed to stop Saddam Hussein from getting cash from the West.
The Australian Wheat Board allegedly paid $300M in kickbacks.
Seemingly there are many companies, countries and high ranking politicians with dirty hands; their actions will come back and bite them hard.
Prime Minister John Howard has denied lying to the Australian people, saying that intelligence had not surfaced because it was buried within other spy material.
Documents from the Australian Intelligence Security Organisation, Office of National Assessments and Defence Intelligence Organisation allegedly show that Australia's spies were aware of illegal payments to Saddam Hussein via the fake Jordanian trucking company, Alia.
The documents suggest that there was concern that kickbacks were being used to buy military goods or parts abroad.
It was suspected that Australian companies were using Alia to circumvent U.N. sanctions, which were designed to stop Saddam Hussein from getting cash from the West.
The Australian Wheat Board allegedly paid $300M in kickbacks.
Seemingly there are many companies, countries and high ranking politicians with dirty hands; their actions will come back and bite them hard.
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