Consider what the oil-for-food program was: a program to block a large and lucrative trade. Like a stream of water, trade tends to have a momentum of its own, and when blocked, finds other outlets.
In this case, the then-government of Iraq was denied the right to sell its oil on the world market and spend the money itself. It was supposed to sell its oil through the U.N. The U.N. was to deduct 2.2 percent as expenses, and then pay out the money for uses it approved. Officially, 72 percent of the revenue went for humanitarian purposes and 25 percent for war reparations from the first Gulf War.
Iraq Net article
In this case, the then-government of Iraq was denied the right to sell its oil on the world market and spend the money itself. It was supposed to sell its oil through the U.N. The U.N. was to deduct 2.2 percent as expenses, and then pay out the money for uses it approved. Officially, 72 percent of the revenue went for humanitarian purposes and 25 percent for war reparations from the first Gulf War.
With true Americanized logic (eg., Why is nobody reporting the good things happening in Iraq?), the overseer of the old Iraq oil for food humanitarian project, a la Chalabi's so-what-if-I-lied-Saddam-is-gone reasoning, defends the UN program corruption.
Benon Sevan, has denied personally cheating. As for others, he told one TV interviewer, "Even if 10 percent of the revenue was stolen, 90 percent got to the people it was intended for. Why does nobody report that?"
....but hey, do what you want....you will anyway.
