Bremer Stymies UN Scandal Probe

NewsMax (6/20/04) reported: "We are disappointed to learn from Fox News Channel that L. Paul Bremer, administrator of the Coalition Provisional Authority, has not fully cooperated with efforts to unfold the U.N.'s oil-for-food program. Fox News' Jonathan Hunt has been at the forefront of this story and this week reported that Rep. Christopher Shays, R-Conn., wrote Bremer a letter in May requesting answers to questions about Bremer's handling of the oil-for-food investigation. Bremer recently responded to that letter and, according to Shays, there are many questions left unanswered. Hunt says that one reason Bremer might not be helping in the inquiry is the major embarrassment Iraqi documents will offer U.N. officials. Appearing on "Fox & Friends" Thursday morning, Hunt said that one reason for the roadblocks by Bremer was that the U.S. needed U.N. support for the turnover of power to the Iraqis and had no interest in rocking the boat. Meanwhile, Hunt said that he recently interviewed Paul Volcker, the former U.S. Federal Reserve chairman who is heading the inquiry of the U.N.'s latest scandal. Volcker told Hunt off camera his investigation had already found evidence of massive Iraqi bribery of U.N. officials".

RH:The matter should be thoroughly investigated- If the case is proven, the givers of bribes, rather than UN officials, will be the most guilty. They may be nationals of countries with which the US has official relations. All the guilty should be punished, but it should not be an effort simply to discredit the UN.