UN to Hand Over Oil -for- Food Control

[leftchick]

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/A5523020-2AAD-4A6C-A049-E1E5826C704D.htm

<snip>
UN officials have informed the Security Council that all is in place for the oil-for-food programme for Iraq to be turned over to the US-led administration in Baghdad at midnight on Friday.

This decision follows Washington's insistence six months ago.

The world body's largest humanitarian programme was launched in 1996 to sell Iraqi oil and use the proceeds to buy food, medicine and other civilian goods, to offset the impact on ordinary Iraqis of UN sanctions imposed on Baghdad after its 1990 invasion of Kuwait.

But the latest move by the UN to hand over control of the programme has not been welcomed by an international activist organisation, founded by former US attorney-general Ramsey Clark, and critical of US foreign policy and its occupation of Iraq.

"We think it is outrageous", says Richard Becker, Regional Director of the International Action Centre (IAC), based in San Francisco. "This move, is in fact, delivering all resources into the hands of those illegally occupying Iraq."

Becker said that "for resources, that belong to the Iraqi people to be blatantly delivered into the hands of illegal occupiers, can only emphasise why occupation must end".

[pocoloco]

1. Mission finally Accomplished

[Skidmore]

3. Yup...now it is really for oil. n/t

[lefty_mcduff]

2. Repeat after me - it's not about oil. It's not about oil.

And remember, they hate us because they hate freedom.

[jmcgowanjm]

4. In spite of USFundies, the UN &US are seen as one and the same

by ME citizens.

This just adds to the perception.

Now expect starving Iraqiis to be added to
list of grievances against US and any
Coalition member.

[Dhalgren]

5. This is unspeakably wrong!

How can the UN do this?! Well, maybe now the Empire can get on with its looting and bring the troops home long enough to rest up some before the next war of conquest. I am done with this shit!