Has anyone heard more about this? I saw a brief blurb on this on FOX News Friday night, then a similar one on CNN Saturday.

I didn't get the entire story, but it appears that U.N. Secretary General Coffee Anon (yes, I know that's not how you spell it ) is being pressured to launch an independent investigation into the U.N. due to reports that Chirac and Putin were involved in bribes with Hussein in the program designed to provide food and medicine to Iraq's people. Apparently, there has been some stuff brewing on this over the last several days, and the news blurbs I saw indicated that several U.N. officials were alleged to have accepted bribes from Hussein on France's and Russia's behalf. Hussein would provide them with tons of money, oil, and some weaponry while France and Russia would guarantee food and medicine be routed directly to Hussein and his officers.

Commentators on both channels had said that this is could be the largest corruption scandal in the U.N. history and if true, could bring down Chirac and Putin.

Until I find out more, I can't agree or disagree with that.

Has anyone heard anything more about it?

[ March 14, 2004, 05:31 PM: Message edited by: MIB ]

Given how corrupt Chirac and his cronies are turning out to be, I don't doubt he was involved in bribery of Hussein, or that the center-right government he presides over was involved in this mess. The only thing preventing him from being brought before the French courts is a provision, I believe, that affords the president of the Republic extraordinary amnesty, at least while holding office, from prosecution. (American presidents have far less security in this regard.) I'm not sure if France has rules for impeachment, but Silvio Berlusconi supposedly used the French model when he pressed for and got passed laws to shield him for prosecution in Italy. I strongly disagreed with the American Right's hysterical anti-French behavior because of France's opposition to the Iraq War II. But I do agree that Chirac is a corrupt, theatrical mess, and perhaps this will finally be the adze that pries him from power. But then would the incompetent French Socialist Party take over? Or the deranged Communists there? Or the even-more deranged and dangerous party led by Jean-Marie LePen? The Socialists under Mitterand were worse than Chirac and the Gaullists!

Putin isn't going ANYWHERE. We haven't discussed on this board his recent shenanigans, from seizing control of the airwaves, to harassing rich opponents and clamping down on what passes for capitalism in Russia if it presents any challenges to his rule, to purging the Kremlin and Russia's parliament of anyone who opposes him, all of which have made his re-election (if one can call it that) guaranteed. Russia's democracy is basically a farce, run by a former KGB head who is slowly and surely trying to return as close to a communistic, dictatorial state as is possible, while maintaining the veneer of democracy. What's sad is that many beaten-down Russians actually are acceding to his wishes. But then again, what is the U.S. going to do with him? The other options may be worse--and he does at least pay lip service to democracy....

[ March 14, 2004, 06:44 PM: Message edited by: fantomas ]

Chirac and Putin's opposition to the war against Hussein was based on principal...interest bearing principal.

If France's opposition, however, was based on their involvement in this corruption scandal, then the American Right's apoplexy toward France might seem more understandable.