Saddam Hussein's yacht, Ocean Breeze, is up for sale.
The yacht is in berth in the port in Nice, and is up for sale for $34M.
Ocean Breeze was built in 1981 by Danish shipbuilder Helsingor Vaerf. The yacht is 82metres long, and was originally named Qadissiyat Saddam. No word on who is the beneficiary of Saddam's universal life insurance policy.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Monday, December 10, 2007
Saddam's Vice President Escapes
Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, Saddam Hussein's former vice president, escaped an Iraqi security raid on him in Salaheddin province, north of Baghdad.
Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri escaped an overnight raid last week on his hideout. The raid was conducted as a result of an intelligence report that al-Douri and his aides were holding a meeting in the village.
The Iraq security force did not find al-Douri, but seized documents which describe the links between al-Douri and al-Qaeda as well as other insurgent groups in Iraq.
Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri escaped an overnight raid last week on his hideout. The raid was conducted as a result of an intelligence report that al-Douri and his aides were holding a meeting in the village.
The Iraq security force did not find al-Douri, but seized documents which describe the links between al-Douri and al-Qaeda as well as other insurgent groups in Iraq.
Friday, December 07, 2007
Lousy Bookkeeping
Lousy bookkeeping by US forces has meant that there is a $5.2BN black hole in the accounts of the Iraqi security forces. Equipment and services allegedly supplied, at the cost of $5.2BN, to the Iraqi forces cannot be proven.
The Multinational Security Transition Command in Iraq cannot prove that the money was used for its intended results and not wasted.
That is no way to run a budget or a country.
The Multinational Security Transition Command in Iraq cannot prove that the money was used for its intended results and not wasted.
That is no way to run a budget or a country.
Friday, November 30, 2007
Maliki Asks Bush To Hand Over Chemical Ali
Prime Minister Nouri Maliki has formally asked President Bush to hand over Saddam Hussein's cousin, "Chemical Ali", and two other former officials sentenced to hang for the 1986-88 crackdown against Kurds.
The US is, quite rightly, refusing to hand over the men until the Iraqi leadership agree as whether the executions should be carried out or not. Were the US to give in to the Prime Minister's request, it would provoke a backlash from Sunni Arabs.
Maliki has accused unnamed politicians of interfering in the legal process for personal reasons, and insisted that Sunni politicians had no right under Iraqi law to pardon or ease the sentences of people convicted of crimes against humanity and condemned.
The US is, quite rightly, refusing to hand over the men until the Iraqi leadership agree as whether the executions should be carried out or not. Were the US to give in to the Prime Minister's request, it would provoke a backlash from Sunni Arabs.
Maliki has accused unnamed politicians of interfering in the legal process for personal reasons, and insisted that Sunni politicians had no right under Iraqi law to pardon or ease the sentences of people convicted of crimes against humanity and condemned.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Sentencing Lite
Houston oilman Oscar Wyatt, accused of paying kickbacks to Saddam Hussein under the United Nations' Oil-for-Food programme has been sentenced to 12 months 1 day in a low security jail.
In explaining the sentence, which was six months less than the low end of the sentencing range under federal guidelines, U.S. District Judge Denny Chin cited "amazing letters" from admirers of the 83 year old.
Quote:
"Mr. Wyatt is a most extraordinary man.
He has lived a remarkable life.
There is little doubt in my mind that Mr. Wyatt broke the law."
What a remarkable country America is; where, on the one hand, the death sentence is routinely carried out yet there are times when mercy is also shown.
In explaining the sentence, which was six months less than the low end of the sentencing range under federal guidelines, U.S. District Judge Denny Chin cited "amazing letters" from admirers of the 83 year old.
Quote:
"Mr. Wyatt is a most extraordinary man.
He has lived a remarkable life.
There is little doubt in my mind that Mr. Wyatt broke the law."
What a remarkable country America is; where, on the one hand, the death sentence is routinely carried out yet there are times when mercy is also shown.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Delay in Excecutions Drags On
Iraqi Shiite and Kurdish MPs have condemned the delay in carrying out the executions of "Chemical Ali" and two other convicted former officials of the Saddam Hussein regime.
Ali Hassan al-Majid, Sultan Hashim al-Tai, Saddam's defence minister, and Hussein Rashid al-Tikriti, his armed forces deputy chief of operations, were sentenced to death on June 24.
Kurdish and Shiite deputies called for the executions to be carried out without further delay.
The US military will not hand the condemned men over until the legal row between Iraqi officials over the execution is resolved.
Two members of the presidential council President Jalal Talabani, and Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi, have refused to sign the execution orders.
Ali Hassan al-Majid, Sultan Hashim al-Tai, Saddam's defence minister, and Hussein Rashid al-Tikriti, his armed forces deputy chief of operations, were sentenced to death on June 24.
Kurdish and Shiite deputies called for the executions to be carried out without further delay.
The US military will not hand the condemned men over until the legal row between Iraqi officials over the execution is resolved.
Two members of the presidential council President Jalal Talabani, and Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi, have refused to sign the execution orders.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Vaile Denies Accusations
The Australian Nationals leader, Mark Vaile, has rejected allegations that Foreign Minister Alexander Downer knew about the AWB scandal before it was revealed.
Former Austrade director John Finnin, who was Australia's top Middle East trade official, told Fairfax newspapers that Mr Downer would have known AWB, Australia's single-desk wheat exporter, was paying kickbacks to Saddam Hussein.
Mr Finnin says he met with the owners of Jordanian trucking firm Alia in September 2003.
Alia was was used to channel funds to Saddam through "trucking fees".
Quote:
"I was the senior trade officer in the region and Iraq was my responsibility.
The foreign minister had enough advisers to know that (the meeting occurred)."
Mr Vaile, a former trade minister, retorted:
"We established, for all intents and purposes, a Royal Commission that was overseen by Royal Commissioner Cole into this whole issue.
It's conclusion was that there was certainly no wrong-doing by government or by government officials and that is a matter on the public record.
As far as we are concerned, the case is closed - it's finished."
Former Austrade director John Finnin, who was Australia's top Middle East trade official, told Fairfax newspapers that Mr Downer would have known AWB, Australia's single-desk wheat exporter, was paying kickbacks to Saddam Hussein.
Mr Finnin says he met with the owners of Jordanian trucking firm Alia in September 2003.
Alia was was used to channel funds to Saddam through "trucking fees".
Quote:
"I was the senior trade officer in the region and Iraq was my responsibility.
The foreign minister had enough advisers to know that (the meeting occurred)."
Mr Vaile, a former trade minister, retorted:
"We established, for all intents and purposes, a Royal Commission that was overseen by Royal Commissioner Cole into this whole issue.
It's conclusion was that there was certainly no wrong-doing by government or by government officials and that is a matter on the public record.
As far as we are concerned, the case is closed - it's finished."
Monday, November 19, 2007
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Double Your Money
The Democrats delivered something of a bombshell with their report "The Hidden Costs of the Iraq War". In it they claim that the total cost of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan is expected to be $1.6 trillion, double the amount President George Bush says it will cost.
The report says:
"The full economic costs of the war to the American taxpayers and the overall US economy go well beyond even the immense federal budget costs already reported."
The Whitehouse responded by saying that the Democrats were playing politics. True enough, but that's what politicians (Republicans included) do.
The report says:
"The full economic costs of the war to the American taxpayers and the overall US economy go well beyond even the immense federal budget costs already reported."
The Whitehouse responded by saying that the Democrats were playing politics. True enough, but that's what politicians (Republicans included) do.
Monday, November 12, 2007
Hanging Delayed
The stay of execution for Chemical Ali, and two other ex members of Saddam Hussein's inner circle, remains in place; as the US continues to hold them and will not hand them over to the Iraqis, until a legal row is resolved.
US spokeswoman Mirembe Nantongo said:
"There continue to be differences in viewpoint within the government of Iraq regarding the necessary Iraqi legal and procedural requirements for carrying out death sentences issued by the Iraqi High Tribunal.
Coalition forces will continue to retain physical custody of the defendants until this issue is resolved."
The Iraqi Prime Minister, Nuri al-Maliki, is less than pleased with the US policy wrt this matter. On Sunday he accused the US embassy of playing an "unfortunate role" in preventing the handover of the three. He added that his government was "determined" that the executions be carried out.
However, the irresistible force appears to have met the rock in the form of Nantongo who said:
"There is still discussion within the government of Iraq over the legal requirements in this case. We are waiting for the government to come to consensus as to what their law requires before preparing a physical transfer."
Two members of the presidential council, President Jalal Talabani and Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi have refused to sign the execution orders.
This stand off is not due to end anytime soon.
US spokeswoman Mirembe Nantongo said:
"There continue to be differences in viewpoint within the government of Iraq regarding the necessary Iraqi legal and procedural requirements for carrying out death sentences issued by the Iraqi High Tribunal.
Coalition forces will continue to retain physical custody of the defendants until this issue is resolved."
The Iraqi Prime Minister, Nuri al-Maliki, is less than pleased with the US policy wrt this matter. On Sunday he accused the US embassy of playing an "unfortunate role" in preventing the handover of the three. He added that his government was "determined" that the executions be carried out.
However, the irresistible force appears to have met the rock in the form of Nantongo who said:
"There is still discussion within the government of Iraq over the legal requirements in this case. We are waiting for the government to come to consensus as to what their law requires before preparing a physical transfer."
Two members of the presidential council, President Jalal Talabani and Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi have refused to sign the execution orders.
This stand off is not due to end anytime soon.
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