Too bad for the world's media because they may have missed some startling new information. More on that in a minute.
According to the world's media the Senators sat there gob smacked as Galloway blasted away with both barrels. Questioned as to why they let Galloway carry on, Sen. Coleman, a former prosecutor and leader of the investigation, said he wasn't there to debate Galloway, he was there to have Galloway deny the charges under oath and create a record of his statements. Give him enough rope and he'll hang himself? I'm no lawyer so I don't what the Senate plans to do with his testimony. He's got diplomatic immunity, so they can't do anything to him. Try him in his absence? Turn the information over to the British perhaps?
Pressed more on the Senate's apparent lack of interest in Galloway, Sen. Coleman said Galloway was just a bit player in their investigation. The Russians were far bigger players because they got far more money which bought their UN vote against the US.
Some new information, at least new to me, came out as well. Turns out Fawaz Zureikat, the Jordanian business man who sold the oil contracts and "donated" the money to Galloway's bogus charity, was best man at Galloway's wedding to his Palestinian wife.
The media also fail to point out that Galloway claims this evidence is the same used by The Telegraph newspaper; evidence by the way that has not been called into question. When in fact the Telegraph's evidence is from 2000 while the Senate's is from 2001.
Now comes some startling new evidence. Ever since the Senate released it's new evidence there has been speculation as to the identity of the Iraqi officials who say Galloway was given oil vouchers. Former Vice President [of Iraq] Taha Yassin Ramadan was identified but the other was un-named. It was speculated that former Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz was the man in question. Today, Sen. Coleman identified Aziz as one of the sources. But here is the new evidence. Coleman says there is a third un-named Iraqi official who said Galloway was indeed given oil vouchers. Coleman says the official remains un-named to protect his life. Obviously then, this official is not in custody. Who is he then? Is he in the US or Iraq? Is he in the new Iraqi government?
Galloway claims these officials either made up the charges under torture or as part of some plea bargain. That makes no sense if one of them is walking about a free man already. Sen. Coleman says the officials volunteered the information because they felt Iraq had a right to sell the oil and reward their friends who opposed the war. Coleman said these men were defending their actions when questioned about the program.
Galloway also likes to claim the Charity Commission in Britain cleared him of wrong doing. That's false as well. Galloway kept no books or records of the Mariam appeal so the Commission concluded:
"...in light of the fact that the Appeal was closed and in view of the difficulties in obtaining the books and records of the Appeal, the Commission decided that it would not be proportionate to pursue its inquiries further."
In other words they dropped the case but they did not find Galloway innocent of wrong doing. In fact, I just heard on the radio that the Commission is now going to reopen the case.
Here is a lot more information on Galloway's involvement in the UN oil for food scandal.
UPDATE
The third Iraqi official is in Iraq.
Greenblatt said a senior Iraqi official interviewed by the committee's investigators again in Baghdad on Monday, had confirmed allegations against Galloway and authenticated Iraqi oil ministry documents.
Note Greeblatt calls him "a senior Iraqi official" and not a former one. Now if Britain can get the documents and have this guy testify, Galloway may get the justice he deserves.
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