Australians (and US) implicated in Iraq kick-back scandal

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/05/19/1084917660987.html

Australian, US and other foreign firms paid a secret commission to Saddam Hussein's government to secure contracts under the UN oil-for- food program, Iraqi and occupation officials said.

Iraq demanded a 10 per cent payment from suppliers who paid the kickbacks into Arab bank accounts set up by Saddam's administration.

"All oil-for-food contracts from 1998 included 10 per cent in 'after-sales services', including some with US companies," an official from the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA).

The oil-for-food program was designed to shelter Iraqis from the worst hardships wrought by UN sanctions by providing food, medicines and other goods paid for by oil sales.

<snip>

Australian, US and other foreign firms paid a secret commission to Saddam Hussein's government to secure contracts under the UN oil-for- food program, Iraqi and occupation officials said.

Iraq demanded a 10 per cent payment from suppliers who paid the kickbacks into Arab bank accounts set up by Saddam's administration.

"All oil-for-food contracts from 1998 included 10 per cent in 'after-sales services', including some with US companies," an official from the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA).

The oil-for-food program was designed to shelter Iraqis from the worst hardships wrought by UN sanctions by providing food, medicines and other goods paid for by oil sales.

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It was through their Ingersol Rand branch. I wonder how many kick-backs Cheney took. I think this is one of the reasons that Shrubbites are not pushing an investigation. It'll implicate some of Shrub's biggest donors.

William Saffire was pushing the oil-for-food scandal angle for a while. I guess that will end (or already has) now that Cheney's name could come up.