Basically, that's what it looks like they meant. In exchange for "NO WAR," they were getting oil. While the reports are early and remain to be verified (if possible?) the list of parties that were being bribed by Saddam reads as a "Who's Who" of those who chanted about America's imperial war for oil.
France.
MEMRI has the full original article from Al-Mada translated. Surely members of the Coalition must've been corrupt as well. Sure, here you go. (Emphasis likely from MEMRI, maybe from Al-Mada, definately not from me.)
United States: Samir Vincent received 10.5 million barrels. In 2000, Vincent, an Iraqi-born American citizen who has lived in the U.S. since 1958, organized a delegation of Iraqi religious leaders to visit the U.S. and meet with former president Jimmy Carter. Shaker Al-Khafaji, the pro-Saddam chairman of the 17th conference of Iraqi expatriates, received 1 million barrels.Great Britain: George Galloway received 1 million barrels. Fawwaz Zreiqat received 1 million barrels. Zreiqat also appears in the Jordanian section as having received 6 million barrels. The Mujahideen Khalq(3) in Britain received 1 million barrels.
Italy: The Italian Petrol Union received 1 million barrels. West Petrol, an Italian company that trades crude oil and oil products, received 1 million barrels. Roberto Formigoni, possibly the president of Lombardia, received 1 million barrels. Salvatore Nicotra, a former NATO pilot who became an oil merchant, received 1 million barrels.
Spain: Basem Qaqish, a member of the Spanish Committee for the Defense of the Arab Cause, received 1 million barrels. Ali Ballout, a pro-Saddam Lebanese journalist, received 1 million barrels. Javier Robert received 1 million barrels.
Most of those names have something in common. The rest of the countries listed are the usual suspects like Syria, the PLO (not a country), Oman, etc.
I think we're getting closer to getting to the bottom of it for Roger Simon.
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