Bribe allegations-maybe if they made a movie of this, they could recoup the "mislaid" sponsorship funds

Terror victims to testify at Florida trial

Galloway fund may face police inquiry

"He told senators that a previous inquiry by the Charity Commission into the Mariam Appeal had recovered "all money in and all money out", and had found no impropriety. He sidestepped questions about what he would do if he discovered that money from oil sales had gone to the appeal.

Yesterday the Charity Commission said that there had been "limitations" on the inquiry, as some of the records of the appeal had been taken out of the country by its then chairman, Mr Zureikat. "

Welcome Instapundit readers!!

Thanks Glenn!!

Victor Hanson

It Appears the Saudis are in charge of U.S. Foreign Policy

http://debka.com/article.php?aid=1026

DEBKAfile’s Washington sources report exclusively that the US and Saudi leaders ended their talks with understandings that restored the Saudis to a dominant role Washington’s Middle East policies. Bush agreed to enlarge US-Saudi arms deals – out in the open now, not under wraps as in the last three years; Saudi capital for investment and the purchase of US government bonds would flow back to the United States; and most of the post 9/11 restrictions would be lifted on the entry of Saudi businessmen and students to the United States.

Abdullah promised to pump up oil production from 10 barrels per day to 12.5 million short term and 15 million long term. But he insisted his immediate priority for the royal purse was the promotion of reforms and better education, health and social welfare systems for his subjects. Therefore investment in expanding oil production would take some time, but it would come about.

Abdullah then laid down his price for “opening a new chapter in US-Saudi strategic relations.”

One, Sharon must be pushed towards keeping step with Abbas and meeting his demands, to continue propping the Palestinian leader up and to do nothing that might hasten his downfall.

Two, Sharon must be urged into serious negotiations with Syria.

Three, The Bush administration must avoid any action that might topple Bashar Assad or bring about the demise of the Assad regime in Damascus.

The Saudi prince put it this way: We did as much as you to force Syria to pull its troops out of Lebanon. It is now your turn to meet us halfway. Neither Assad nor Syria must be humiliated any further.

Daniel Pipes

Steyn on Canada via western Standard

UNSCAM

........"the far more significant issues and real news of this scandal. To wit:

• The $67 billion oil-for-food program — set up in 1996 five years after the Gulf War to buy food and medicine for suffering Iraqis — was run by the U.N.

• It was under this U.N. supervision that the program became a massive bribery scheme in which Saddam Hussein awarded oil vouchers to favored politicians, journalists and other influential figures who could resell the oil at a profit.

• The U.N.'s assistant secretary-general, Benon Sevan, administered the program and is now accused of being not just an enabler but an active participant in the corruption.

• Secretary-General Kofi Annan himself is linked to the scandal through his son Kojo.

Despite what the quarrelsome Galloway or anyone else says about the U.S., or how often Bayoil USA of Texas is charged with being a collaborator in the scheme, or how loud anyone asserts that the Bush White House knew about the bribery but looked the other way, one fact cannot be escaped:

The United Nations failed to use proceeds placed in its trust from the sale of Iraqi crude to provide relief for the Iraqi people. Worse, U.N. leaders exploited the program, apparently by diverting cash intended as aid to the sick and hungry. What could be more depraved?

A terrorist bomb? Yes. But terrorists don't often pose, as Sevan did, as concerned humanitarians. Investigators believe Sevan pocketed perhaps as much as $1.6 million from the scheme.

The real money, though, is at the institutional level. The U.N. apparently helped itself to nearly $1 billion by skimming 2.2% off the top of each barrel of oil sold. Just how does that square with the mission outlined in the U.N. charter?

It doesn't, of course. But unfortunately, it is consistent with the U.N.'s increasingly dismal performance. This is an organization that can't stop genocide (and doesn't even try), won't challenge dictators, coddles terrorist regimes, stands by while crooked leaders loot nations and blames it all on the West, especially the U.S.

As the information flows out, we're more convinced than ever the world body is in dire need of change from the top down."

Iran getting cosy with Venezuela

BACKGROUNDER:
Compiled by Bill Gertz
Growing strategic ties between Iran and Venezuela concern U.S. intelligence

U.S. intelligence officials are worried by growing ties between the leftist government of Hugo Chavez in Venezuela and Iran's Islamist regime.

Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi met recently with Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jesus Arnaldo Perez and discussed "U.S. threats," officials said.
Hugo Chavez.
The two ministers also declared their common interests in the Americas and the Middle East.

Perez called Iran a "strategic ally" and thanked Teheran for supporting the Chavez government. He also said Iran's "resistance against foreign powers" is an example for Venezuela.

Visit beautiful Nova Scotia this summer

Coyne- on the switcheroo

via smalldeadanimals.com

HE could have said he was sick or didn't recall. Looks like he took the sick route

CBS "60 Minutes II" cancelled

UNSCAM

"The subcommittee concluded that Mr. Galloway was granted oil allocations as part of a complex series of oil transactions aimed at concealing the source of ill-gotten gain. (Last year, the CIA's Iraq Survey Group concluded that Saddam gave Mr. Galloway 20 million barrels of oil.)
"Galloway appeared to use a charity for children's leukemia to conceal payments associated with at least one such allocation ... according to senior officials [from Saddam's government], the oil allocations were granted by Iraq because of Galloway's support for the Hussein regime and his opposition to U.N. sanctions," the panel report said.
The report also raises serious questions about the conduct of Mr. Pasqua. It uncovered internal documents from the Iraqi Ministry of Oil suggesting that Mr. Pasqua received 11 million barrels of oil from the Ba'athist regime. Former aides to Saddam told the Senate subcommittee in interviews that former top Kremlin aide Alexander Voloshin and Vladimir Zhirinovsky, a Russian ultranationalist and an outspoken supporter of Saddam, also earned millions in oil deals.
Things are becoming increasingly uncomfortable for some of Saddam Hussein's staunchest supporters. "

Defection chronology

Stronach joins Liberals

Marriage of convenience-looks like Martin has to worry more about than the Chretienites

Perhaps she could have left prior to the Conservative election strategy last weekend-but didn't

Gomery: law breakers don't suffer consequences